Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a complex neurodegenerative disorder that develops over decades. AD brain proteomics reveals vast alterations in protein levels and numerous altered biologic pathways. Here, we compare AD brain proteome and network changes with the brain proteomes of amyloid β (Aβ)-depositing mice to identify conserved and divergent protein networks with the conserved networks identifying an Aβ amyloid responsome.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBacterial extracellular vesicles (BEVs) are naturally occurring bioactive membrane-bound nanoparticles released by both gram-negative and gram-positive bacterial species, exhibiting a multifaceted role in mediating host-microbe interactions across various physiological conditions. Increasing evidence supports BEVs as essential mediators of cell-to-cell communicaiton, influencing bacterial pathogenicity, disease mechanisms, and modulating the host immune response. However, the extent to which these BEV-mediated actions can be leveraged to predict disease onset, guide treatment strategies, and determine clinical outcomes remains uncertain, particularly in terms of their clinical translation potentials.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFRecent research indicates that combining 3D bioprinting and small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) offers a promising 'cell-free' regenerative medicine approach for various tissue engineering applications. Nonetheless, the majority of existing research has focused on bioprinting of sEVs sourced from cell lines. There remains a notable gap in research regarding the bioprinting of sEVs derived from primary human periodontal cells and their potential impact on ligamentous and osteogenic differentiation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWe report a highly significant correlation in brain proteome changes between Alzheimers disease (AD) and CRND8 APP695NL/F transgenic mice. However, integrating protein changes observed in the CRND8 mice with co-expression networks derived from human AD, reveals both conserved and divergent module changes. For the most highly conserved module (M42, matrisome) we find many proteins accumulate in plaques, cerebrovascular amyloid (CAA), dystrophic processes, or a combination thereof.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFProg Mol Biol Transl Sci
September 2023
Regenerative medicine is an interdisciplinary field involving the process of replacing and regenerating cells/tissues or organs by integrating medicine, science, and engineering principles to enhance the intrinsic regenerative capacity of the host. Recently, engineered adult stem cells have gained attention for their potential use in regenerative medicine by reducing inflammation and modulating the immune system. This chapter introduces adult stem cell engineering and chimeric antigen receptor T cells (CAR T) gene therapy and summarises current engineered stem cell- and extracellular vesicles (EVs)-focused clinical trial studies that provide the basis for the proposal of a personalised medicine approach to diseases diagnosis and treatment.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To enrich and compare three extracellular vesicles-EV subtypes (apoptotic bodies, microvesicles and small EV) from three periodontal cells (periodontal ligament cells-PDLCs, alveolar bone-derived osteoblasts-OBs and gingival fibroblasts-GFs), and assess uptake and cell function changes in buccal fat pad-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (BFP-MSCs).
Background: Periodontal cells such as PDLCs, OBs and GFs have the potential to enhance bone and periodontal regeneration, but face significant challenges, such as the regulatory and cost implications of in vitro cell culture and storage. To address these challenges, it is important to explore alternative 'cell-free' strategies, such as extracellular vesicles which have emerged as promising tools in regenerative medicine, to facilitate osteogenic differentiation and bone regeneration.
Zinc (Zn) as a biodegradable metal has attracted research interest for bone reconstruction, with the aim of eliminating the need for a second removal surgery and minimizing the implant-to-bone transfer of stress-shielding to maintain bone regeneration. In addition, Zn has been shown to have antibacterial properties, particularly against Gram-negative bacteria, and is often used as a surface coating to inhibit bacterial growth and biofilm formation. However, the antibacterial property of Zn is still suboptimal in part due to low Zn ion release during degradation that has to be further improved in order to meet clinical requirements.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTissue Eng Part C Methods
July 2023
This cross-sectional pilot study explored extracellular vesicle (EV)-derived gene expression of markers for bone turnover and pro-inflammatory cytokines in periodontal disease. Whole unstimulated saliva was collected from 52 participants (18 healthy, 13 gingivitis, and 21 stages III/IV periodontitis), from which salivary small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) were enriched using the size-exclusion chromatography method, and characterized by morphology, EV-protein, and size distribution, using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and Nanoparticle Tracking Analysis (NTA), respectively. Bone turnover markers and pro-inflammatory cytokines in salivary sEVs were evaluated using reverse transcription PCR.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrends Pharmacol Sci
June 2023
Adenosine-lidocaine-magnesium (ALM) mixture is a cardioplegic agent that improves survivability undisputedly in rodents, but not swine, models of hemorrhagic shock. However, despite protection from comorbid coagulopathy being the one common effect reported in both models, the underlying prothrombotic mechanism for ALM has not been fully elucidated. Here, we undertook a component-based approach focusing on individual drugs in the mixture to elaborate on the protective mechanism against coagulopathy within the frames of adenosine signaling and metabolic pathways.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThe accumulation of α-synuclein (α-syn) in intracellular formations known as Lewy bodies (LBs) is associated with several neurodegenerative diseases including Parkinson's disease and Lewy Body Dementia. There is still limited understanding of how α-syn and LB formation is associated with cellular dysfunction and degeneration in these diseases. To examine the clearance and production dynamics of α-syn we transduced organotypic murine brain slice cultures (BSCs) with recombinant adeno-associated viruses (rAAVs) to express Dendra2-tagged human wild-type (WT) and mutant A53T α-syn, with and without the addition of exogenous α-syn fibrillar seeds and tracked them over several weeks in culture using optical pulse labeling.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSensitive detection of immunoglobulin antibodies against SARS-CoV-2 during the COVID-19 pandemic is critical to monitor the adaptive immune response after BNT162b2 mRNA vaccination. Currently employed binding antibody detection tests using 2D microplate-based enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays (ELISA) are limited by the degree of sensitivity. In this study, a 3D antibody test was developed by immobilizing the receptor-binding domain on Spike subunit 1 (S1-RBD) of SARS-CoV-2 onto engineered melt electrowritten (MEW) poly(ε-caprolactone) (PCL) scaffolds (pore: 500 μm, fiber diameter: 17 μm) using carbodiimide crosslinker chemistry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the antibody responses in non-invasive gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and unstimulated whole saliva to the SARS-CoV-2 Spike unit 1 receptor-binding domain (S1-RBD) protein following administration of the mRNA BNT162b2 vaccine.
Methods: This longitudinal study recruited 37 participants with no prior COVID-19 exposure (eight people recruited prior to the COVID-19 pandemic - labeled pre-COVID, 16 vaccinated and 13 non-vaccinated participants). An enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to determine antibody levels against S1-RBD in saliva (n=90) and GCF (n=80) samples obtained at 1 and 3Â weeks after dose 1, and 3 days, 7 days, and 3Â weeks after dose 2.
Zinc (Zn) has recently been identified as an auspicious biodegradable metal for medical implants and devices due to its tunable mechanical properties and good biocompatibility. However, the slow corrosion rate of Zn in a physiological environment does not meet the requirements for biodegradable implants, hindering its clinical translation. The present study aimed to accelerate the corrosion rate of pure Zn by utilizing acid etching to roughen the surface and increase the substrate surface area.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: Seeding of pathology related to Alzheimer's disease (AD) and Lewy body disease (LBD) by tissue homogenates or purified protein aggregates in various model systems has revealed prion-like properties of these disorders. Typically, these homogenates are injected into adult mice stereotaxically. Injection of brain lysates into newborn mice represents an alternative approach of delivering seeds that could direct the evolution of amyloid-β (Aβ) pathology co-mixed with either tau or α-synuclein (αSyn) pathology in susceptible mouse models.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOsteoporosis results from dysregulated bone remodeling with increased osteoclast-mediated destruction of bones. We have recently shown in vitro the truncated tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (mini-TrpRS)-dependent action of interferon-gamma (IFN-γ) to promote myeloid lineage multinucleation, a fundamental step in the osteoclast formation. In particular, we found that IFN-γ readily induced monocyte aggregation leading to multinuclear giant cell formation that paralleled marked upregulation of mini-TrpRS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflammation, vascular smooth muscle cell apoptosis and oxidative stress are believed to play important roles in abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) pathogenesis. Human kallistatin (KAL; gene SERPINA4) is a serine proteinase inhibitor previously shown to inhibit inflammation, apoptosis and oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of KAL in AAA through studies in experimental mouse models and patients.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFExtracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound lipid particles that are secreted by all cell types and function as cell-to-cell communicators through their cargos of protein, nucleic acid, lipids, and metabolites, which are derived from their parent cells. There is limited information on the isolation and the emerging therapeutic role of periodontal and dental pulp cell-derived small EVs (sEVs, <200 nm, or exosome). In this review, we discuss the biogenesis of three EV subtypes (sEVs, microvesicles and apoptotic bodies) and the emerging role of sEVs from periodontal ligament (stem) cells, gingival fibroblasts (or gingival mesenchymal stem cells) and dental pulp cells, and their therapeutic potential and .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTruncated tryptophanyl-tRNA synthetase (mini-TrpRS), like any other aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases, canonically functions as a protein synthesis enzyme. Here we provide evidence for an additional signaling role of mini-TrpRS in the formation of monocyte-derived multinuclear giant cells (MGCs). Interferon-gamma (IFNγ) readily induced monocyte aggregation leading to MGC formation with paralleled marked upregulation of mini-TrpRS.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is an important cause of mortality in older adults. The kinin B2 receptor agonist, bradykinin, has been implicated in AAA pathogenesis through promoting inflammation. Bradykinin is generated from high- and low-molecular-weight kininogen by the serine protease kallikrein-1.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTrends Cardiovasc Med
April 2022
Atherosclerosis demonstrates an increased rate of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) plasticity characterized by switching from the differentiated contractile phenotype to a de-differentiated synthetic state. In healthy blood vessels, phenotypic switching represents a fundamental property of VSMC in maintaining vascular homeostasis. However, in atherosclerosis, it is an initial and necessary step in VSMC-derived foam cell formation.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFADAP1/Centaurin-α1 (CentA1) functions as an Arf6 GTPase-activating protein highly enriched in the brain. Previous studies demonstrated the involvement of CentA1 in brain function as a regulator of dendritic differentiation and a potential mediator of Alzheimer's disease (AD) pathogenesis. To better understand the neurobiological functions of CentA1 signaling in the brain, we developed knock-out (KO) mice.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFVitamin D deficiency has been associated with human abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA); however, its role in AAA pathogenesis is unclear. The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of vitamin D deficiency on AAA development and examine if administering cholecalciferol (CCF) could limit growth of established AAA within the angiotensin-II (AngII) infused apolipoprotein E-deficient mouse model. Mice were rendered vitamin D deficiency through dietary restriction and during AngII infusion developed larger AAAs as assessed by ultrasound and ex vivo morphometry that ruptured more commonly (48% vs.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: Experimental studies suggest that fenofibrate prevents abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) development by lowering aortic osteopontin (OPN) concentration and reducing the number of macrophages infiltrating the aortic wall. The current study examined the effects of a short course of fenofibrate on AAA pathology in people with large AAAs awaiting aortic repair.
Methods: This randomised double blind parallel trial included male and female participants aged ≥ 60 years who had an asymptomatic AAA measuring ≥ 50 mm and were scheduled to undergo open AAA repair.