Interrelationships between sirtuin 1 and transcription factors p53 and NF-κB (p50/p65) in the control of ovarian cell apoptosis and proliferation.

The roles of the mTOR system enzyme sirtuin 1 (SIRT1), the transcription factor p53 and the nuclear factor kappaB (NF-κB) and their interrelationships in the control of ovarian function have not been well studied. We examine, in vitro, the involvement of SIRT1, p53 and the p65 and p50 subunits of NFκB and their interrelationships in the control of the apoptosis and proliferation of porcine ovarian granulosa cells. Monolayers of primary granulosa cells were transfected with cDNA constructs encoding SIRT1, p53, p65 or p50 alone or were co-transfected with gene constructs for SIRT1 together with p53, p65 or p50.

The involvement of SIRT1 and transcription factor NF-κB (p50/p65) in regulation of porcine ovarian cell function.

The role of either mTOR system/enzyme sirtuin1 (SIRT1) or transcription factor NF-κB in the direct control of ovarian function has not been estabished. The aim of our in vitro experiments was to examine the involvement of SIRT1 and the p65 and p50 subunits of NFκB in control of porcine ovarian granulosa cell functions and the interrelationships between SIRT1, NFκB (p65, p50) 30 and FSH in the ovary. Monolayers of primary granulosa cells were transfected with gene constructs encoding either SIRT1 or p65 and p50, and thereafter cultured with, or without, addition of FSH.

Transcription factor NF-κB (p50/p50, p65/p65) controls porcine ovarian cells functions.

The aim of these in vitro studies was to examine the involvement of transcription factor NF-κB (p50/p50, p65/p65) and FSH in control of porcine ovarian granulosa cells functions and the possible role of dimers p50/p50, p65/p65 in mediating FSH actions on these cells. Monolayer of primary granulosa cells was transfected with plasmids encoding human p50 cDNA and p65 cDNA, and cultured with or without addition of FSH (0, 1, 10 or 100 ng/ml). The accumulation of proteins p50 and p65, as well as of proliferation markers (PCNA and MAPK/ERK1,2) and marker of apoptosis (Bax) in cells was detected by using SDS-PAGE-Western immunoblotting and immunocytochemistry.

Increased transgene integration efficiency upon microinjection of DNA into both pronuclei of rabbit embryos.

Transgenic rabbits provide a useful biological model for the study of the regulation of mammalian genes. However, transgene integration efficiency has generally been low. Here we present a first attempt to increase the integration rate of exogenous DNA into the rabbit genome, using a double pronuclei microinjection method.

A role for IL-15 in driving the onset of spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis?

The obese strain (OS) of chickens, which suffers from spontaneous autoimmune thyroiditis, is an excellent animal model for Hashimoto's thyroiditis and provides a unique opportunity to investigate the mechanisms underlying and driving the onset of the disease. Following recent advances in cloning chicken cytokines, we can now begin to investigate the role of cytokines in driving the lymphoid infiltration of the thyroid seen in these birds from day 7 posthatch. Using real-time quantitative RT-PCR, we characterized the expression of IFN-gamma, IL-1beta, IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, IL-15, and IL-18 in thyroids from OS birds and control CB line birds, both in the embryo just before hatch (embryonic day 20) and at 3 and 5 days posthatch.