Effects of first-generation in utero exposure to diesel engine exhaust on second-generation placental function, fatty acid profiles and foetal metabolism in rabbits: preliminary results.

Atmospheric pollution has major health effects on directly exposed subjects but intergenerational consequences are poorly characterized. We previously reported that diesel engine exhaust (DE) could lead to structural changes in the placenta of in utero exposed rabbits (first generation, F1). The effects of maternal exposure to DE were further studied on second-generation (F2) rabbits.

Effects of dietary arginine supplementation in pregnant mares on maternal metabolism, placental structure and function and foal growth.

Foals born to primiparous mares are lighter and less mature than those born to multiparous dams. Factors driving this difference are not totally understood. Using 7 multiparous and 6 primiparous standardbred mares, we demonstrated that, in late gestation, primiparous mares were less insulin resistant compared to multiparous mares, and that their foals had reduced plasma amino-acid concentrations at birth compared to foals born to multiparous mares.

Repeated gestational exposure to diesel engine exhaust affects the fetal olfactory system and alters olfactory-based behavior in rabbit offspring.

Background: Airborne pollution, especially from diesel exhaust (DE), is known to have a negative effect on the central nervous system in exposed human populations. However, the consequences of gestational exposure to DE on the fetal brain remain poorly explored, with various effects depending on the conditions of exposure, as well as little information on early developmental stages. We investigated the short-term effects of indirect DE exposure throughout gestation on the developing brain using a rabbit model.

Maternal exposure to diluted diesel engine exhaust alters placental function and induces intergenerational effects in rabbits.

Background: Airborne pollution is a rising concern in urban areas. Epidemiological studies in humans and animal experiments using rodent models indicate that gestational exposure to airborne pollution, in particular diesel engine exhaust (DE), reduces birth weight, but effects depend on exposure duration, gestational window and nanoparticle (NP) concentration. Our aim was to evaluate the effects of gestational exposure to diluted DE on feto-placental development in a rabbit model.

Fatty acid binding protein 7 and n-3 poly unsaturated fatty acid supply in early rat brain development.

Fatty acid binding protein 7 (FABP7), abundant in the embryonic brain, binds with the highest affinity to docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and is expressed in the early stages of embryogenesis. Here, we have examined the consequences of the exposure to different DHA levels and of the in utero depletion of FABP7 on early rat brain development. Neurodevelopment was evaluated through the contents of two proteins, connexin 43 (Cx43) and cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (CDK5), both involved in neuroblast proliferation, differentiation, and migration.

Antigen recovery and preservation using the microwave irradiation of biological samples for transmission electron microscopy analysis.

Most studies using microwave irradiation (MWI) for the preparation of tissue samples have reported an improvement in structural integrity. However, there have been few studies on the effect of microwave (MW) on antigen preservation during sample preparation prior to immunolocalization. This report documents our experience of specimen preparation using an automatic microwave apparatus to obtain antigen preservation and retrieval.

The role of PPARβ/δ in the regulation of glutamatergic signaling in the hamster suprachiasmatic nucleus.

Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are members of the nuclear receptor superfamily and function as transcription factors that regulate gene expression in numerous biological processes. Although the PPARβ/δ subtype is highly expressed in the brain, its physiological roles in neuronal function remain to be elucidated. In this study, we examined the presence of PPARβ/δ in the master circadian clock of the Syrian hamster and investigated its putative functional role in this structure.

Leptin and its receptors are present in the rat olfactory mucosa and modulated by the nutritional status.

Leptin is an adipocyte-derived cytokine that regulates body weight mainly via the long form of the leptin receptor (Ob-Rb). Leptin and its receptors are expressed in several tissues, suggesting that leptin might also be effective peripherally. We hypothesized that, as shown in taste cells, leptin and its receptors isoforms (Ob-Rs) could be present in the rat olfactory mucosa (OM).

Anatomical evidence for glutamatergic transmission in primary sensory neurons and onto postganglionic neurons controlling penile erection in rats: an ultrastructural study with neuronal tracing and immunocytochemistry.

In male rats, the dorsal penile nerve (DPN) conveys sensory information from the genitals to the lumbosacral spinal segments of the spinal cord. DPN is the afferent limb of a reflex loop that supports reflexive erections, and that includes a network of spinal interneurons and autonomic and somatic motoneurons to the penis and perineal striated muscles. Autonomic efferent pathways to the penis relay in the major pelvic ganglion (MPG).

Orexin A modulates mitral cell activity in the rat olfactory bulb: patch-clamp study on slices and immunocytochemical localization of orexin receptors.

Orexin A and B are involved in feeding behaviors, and recently fibers containing these peptides were found in the rat olfactory bulb. These fibers, which originate from the lateral and posterior hypothalamus and the perifornical area, are distributed in the glomerular, mitral cell, and granule cell layers. Orexin receptors are mainly expressed by mitral cells.

Immobilization of native membrane-bound rhodopsin on biosensor surfaces.

In this paper, we evaluated the grafting of G-protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) onto functionalized surfaces, which is a primary requirement to elaborate receptor-based biosensors, or to develop novel GPCR assays. Bovine rhodopsin, a prototypical GPCR, was used in the form of receptor-enriched membrane fraction. Quantitative immobilization of the membrane-bound rhodopsin either non-specifically on a carboxylated dextran surface grafted with long alkyl groups, or specifically on a surface coated with anti-rhodopsin antibody was demonstrated by surface plasmon resonance.

Functional expression of olfactory receptors in yeast and development of a bioassay for odorant screening.

The functional expression of olfactory receptors (ORs) is a primary requirement to examine the molecular mechanisms of odorant perception and coding. Functional expression of the rat I7 OR and its trafficking to the plasma membrane was achieved under optimized experimental conditions in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. The membrane expression of the receptor was shown by Western blotting and immunolocalization methods.

Localization of orexins and their receptors in the rat olfactory system: possible modulation of olfactory perception by a neuropeptide synthetized centrally or locally.

Orexin-A and -B, also known as hypocretins, are two neuropeptides acting on feeding and sleep. They are specific ligands for two different receptors belonging to the G-protein coupled receptors family. Orexin fibers and orexin receptor neurons have been previously described in the forebrain olfactory system.