Publications by authors named "Leticia P Roma"

The NADPH/NADP redox couple is central to metabolism and redox signalling. NADP redox state is differentially regulated by distinct enzymatic machineries at the subcellular compartment level. Nonetheless, a detailed understanding of subcellular NADP redox dynamics is limited by the availability of appropriate tools.

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Onset, progression and cardiovascular outcome of chronic kidney disease (CKD) are influenced by the concomitant sterile inflammation. The pro-inflammatory cytokine family interleukin (IL)-1 is crucial in CKD with the key alarmin IL-1α playing an additional role as an adhesion molecule that facilitates immune cell tissue infiltration and consequently inflammation. Here, we investigate calcium ion and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-dependent regulation of different aspects of IL-1α-mediated inflammation.

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Hydrogen peroxide (HO) is an important biological molecule, functioning both as a second messenger in cell signaling and, especially at higher concentrations, as a cause of cell damage. Cells harbor multiple enzymes that have peroxide reducing activity in vitro. However, the contribution of each of these enzymes towards peroxide scavenging in vivo is less clear.

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Pancreatic β-cells respond to metabolic stress by upregulating insulin secretion, however the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here we show, in β-cells from overweight humans without diabetes and mice fed a high-fat diet for 2 days, insulin exocytosis and secretion are enhanced without increased Ca influx. RNA-seq of sorted β-cells suggests altered metabolic pathways early following high fat diet, where we find increased basal oxygen consumption and proton leak, but a more reduced cytosolic redox state.

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Islet transplantation is a promising treatment strategy for type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) patients. However, oxidative stress-induced graft failure due to an insufficient revascularization is a major problem of this therapeutic approach. NADPH oxidase (NOX)2 is an important producer of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and several studies have already reported that this enzyme plays a crucial role in the endocrine function and viability of β-cells.

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Hypoxia-induced islet cell death, caused by an insufficient revascularization of the grafts, is a major obstacle for successful pancreatic islet transplantation. Recently, it has been reported that the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome is expressed in pancreatic islets and that its loss protects against hypoxia-induced cell death. Therefore, we hypothesized that the inhibition of NLRP3 in islets improves the survival and endocrine function of the grafts.

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TNF-related apoptosis inducing ligand (TRAIL) is expressed on cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs) and TRAIL is linked to progression of diabetes. However, the impact of high glucose on TRAIL expression and its related killing function in CTLs still remains largely elusive. Here, we report that TRAIL is substantially up-regulated in CTLs in environments with high glucose (HG) both and .

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A high caloric intake, rich in saturated fats, greatly contributes to the development of obesity, which is the leading risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D). A persistent caloric surplus increases plasma levels of fatty acids (FAs), especially saturated ones, which were shown to negatively impact pancreatic β-cell function and survival in a process called lipotoxicity. Lipotoxicity in β-cells activates different stress pathways, culminating in β-cells dysfunction and death.

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Chronic kidney disease (CKD) triggers the risk of developing uremic cardiomyopathy as characterized by cardiac hypertrophy, fibrosis and functional impairment. Traditionally, animal studies are used to reveal the underlying pathological mechanism, although variable CKD models, mouse strains and readouts may reveal diverse results. Here, we systematically reviewed 88 studies and performed meta-analyses of 52 to support finding suitable animal models for future experimental studies on pathological kidney-heart crosstalk during uremic cardiomyopathy.

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In type 1 diabetes (T1D) development, proinflammatory cytokines (PIC) released by immune cells lead to increased reactive oxygen species (ROS) production in β-cells. Nonetheless, the temporality of the events triggered and the role of different ROS sources remain unclear. Isolated islets from C57BL/6J wild-type (WT), NOX1 KO and NOX2 KO mice were exposed to a PIC combination.

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Aims: The exposure of isolated pancreatic islets to pro-angiogenic factors prior to their transplantation represents a promising strategy to accelerate the revascularization of the grafts. It has been shown that erythropoietin (EPO), a glycoprotein regulating erythropoiesis, also induces angiogenesis. Therefore, we hypothesized that EPO exposure of isolated islets improves their posttransplant revascularization.

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Modern lifestyles, including lack of physical activity and poor nutritional habits, are driving the rapidly increasing prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes. Increased levels of free fatty acids (FFAs), particularly saturated FFAs, in obese individuals have been linked to pancreatic β-cell failure. This process, termed lipotoxicity, involves activation of several stress responses, including ER stress and oxidative stress.

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Pancreatic islet transplantation still represents a promising therapeutic strategy for curative treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus. However, a limited number of organ donors and insufficient vascularization with islet engraftment failure restrict the successful transfer of this approach into clinical practice. To overcome these problems, we herein introduce a novel strategy for the generation of prevascularized islet organoids by the fusion of pancreatic islet cells with functional native microvessels.

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Investigate the involvement of the fatty acids receptor GPR40 in the assembly and activation of NADPH oxidase and the implications on pancreatic β-cell function. BRIN-BD11 β-cells were exposed to GPR40 agonist (GW9508) or linoleic acid in different glucose concentrations. Superoxide and HO were analyzed, respectively, by DHE fluorescence and by fluorescence of the HO sensor, roGFP2-Orp1.

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Background: Free fatty acids (FFAs) are known for their dual effects on insulin secretion and pancreatic β-cell survival. Short-term exposure to FFAs, such as palmitate, increases insulin secretion. On the contrary, long-term exposure to saturated FFAs results in decreased insulin secretion, as well as triggering oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, culminating in cell death.

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The role of the endothelium is not just limited to acting as an inert barrier for facilitating blood transport. Endothelial cells (ECs), through expression of a repertoire of angiocrine molecules, regulate metabolic demands in an organ-specific manner. Insulin flux across the endothelium to muscle cells is a rate-limiting process influencing insulin-mediated lowering of blood glucose.

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Background And Purpose: Pancreatic islet transplantation is a promising therapeutic approach for Type 1 diabetes. A major prerequisite for the survival of grafted islets is a rapid revascularization after transplantation. Erythropoietin (EPO), the primary regulator of erythropoiesis, has been shown to promote angiogenesis.

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Insulin-secreting pancreatic β-cells play a critical role in blood glucose homeostasis and the development of type 2 diabetes (T2D) in the context of insulin resistance. Based on data obtained at the whole cell level using poorly specific chemical probes, reactive oxygen species (ROS) such as superoxide and hydrogen peroxide have been proposed to contribute to the stimulation of insulin secretion by nutrients (positive role) and to the alterations of cell survival and secretory function in T2D (negative role). This raised the controversial hypothesis that any attempt to decrease β-cell oxidative stress and apoptosis in T2D would further impair insulin secretion.

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Article Synopsis
  • The study investigates the role of heme oxygenase (HO) in the glucose-dependent stimulation of insulin secretion by pancreatic β cells, using specific probes to measure HO levels.
  • Researchers found that glucose decreases mitochondrial HO oxidation without affecting cytosolic HO levels and that this glucose effect isn't influenced by antioxidant overexpression.
  • Exogenous HO did not impact insulin secretion, while menadione reduced the stimulation of insulin secretion by high glucose levels, suggesting that nutrient-related changes in HO are not essential for this process.
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Disulfide formation in the mitochondrial intermembrane space is an essential process catalyzed by a disulfide relay machinery. In mammalian cells, the key enzyme in this machinery is the oxidoreductase CHCHD4/Mia40. Here, we determined the in vivo CHCHD4 redox state, which is the major determinant of its cellular activity.

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Significance: Genetically encoded hydrogen peroxide (HO) sensors, based on fusions between thiol peroxidases and redox-sensitive green fluorescent protein 2 (roGFP2), have dramatically broadened the available "toolbox" for monitoring cellular HO changes. Recent Advances: Recently developed peroxiredoxin-based probes such as roGFP2-Tsa2ΔC offer considerably improved HO sensitivity compared with previously available genetically encoded sensors and now permit dynamic, real-time, monitoring of changes in endogenous HO levels.

Critical Issues: The correct understanding and interpretation of probe read-outs is crucial for their meaningful use.

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Dormant hematopoietic stem cells (dHSCs) are atop the hematopoietic hierarchy. The molecular identity of dHSCs and the mechanisms regulating their maintenance or exit from dormancy remain uncertain. Here, we use single-cell RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analysis to show that the transition from dormancy toward cell-cycle entry is a continuous developmental path associated with upregulation of biosynthetic processes rather than a stepwise progression.

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High glucose-induced oxidative stress and increased NADPH oxidase-2 (NOX2) activity may contribute to the progressive decline of the functional β-cell mass in type 2 diabetes. To test that hypothesis, we characterized, in islets from male NOX2 knockout (NOX2-KO) and wild-type (WT) C57BL/6J mice cultured for up to 3 weeks at 10 or 30 mmol/l glucose (G10 or G30), the in vitro effects of glucose on cytosolic oxidative stress using probes sensing glutathione oxidation (GRX1-roGFP2), thiol oxidation (roGFP1) or HO (roGFP2-Orp1), on β-cell stimulus-secretion coupling events and on β-cell apoptosis. After 1-2 days of culture in G10, the glucose stimulation of insulin secretion (GSIS) was ∼1.

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Mapping the in vivo distribution of endogenous oxidants in animal tissues is of substantial biomedical interest. Numerous health-related factors, including diet, physical activity, infection, aging, toxins, or pharmacological intervention, may cause redox changes. Tools are needed to pinpoint redox state changes to particular organs, tissues, cell types, and subcellular organelles.

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