A Novel Method for Detecting Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in Blood Serum of Mice.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common form of muscular dystrophy, typically affecting males in infancy. The disease causes progressive weakness and atrophy of skeletal muscles, with approximately 20,000 new cases diagnosed yearly. Currently, methods for diagnosing DMD are invasive, laborious, and unable to make accurate early detections.

MicroRNA-24-3p promotes skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration by regulating HMGA1.

Numerous studies have established the critical roles of microRNAs in regulating post-transcriptional gene expression in diverse biological processes. Here, we report on the role and mechanism of miR-24-3p in skeletal muscle differentiation and regeneration. miR-24-3p promotes myoblast differentiation and skeletal muscle regeneration by directly targeting high mobility group AT-hook 1 (HMGA1) and regulating it and its direct downstream target, the inhibitor of differentiation 3 (ID3).

Sequence-selective purification of biological RNAs using DNA nanoswitches.

Nucleic acid purification is a critical aspect of biomedical research and a multibillion-dollar industry. Here we establish sequence-selective RNA capture, release, and isolation using conformationally responsive DNA nanoswitches. We validate purification of specific RNAs ranging in size from 22 to 401 nt with up to 75% recovery and 99.

Determining the stages of cellular differentiation using deep ultraviolet resonance Raman spectroscopy.

Cellular differentiation is a fundamental process in which one cell type changes into one or more specialized cell types. Cellular differentiation starts at the beginning of embryonic development when a simple zygote begins to transform into a complex multicellular organism composed of various cell and tissue types. This process continues into adulthood when adult stem cells differentiate into more specialized cells for normal growth, regeneration, repair, and cellular turnover.

Myh11+ microvascular mural cells and derived mesenchymal stem cells promote retinal fibrosis.

Retinal diseases are frequently characterized by the accumulation of excessive scar tissue found throughout the neural retina. However, the pathophysiology of retinal fibrosis remains poorly understood, and the cell types that contribute to the fibrotic response are incompletely defined. Here, we show that myofibroblast differentiation of mural cells contributes directly to retinal fibrosis.

Diagnosis of a model of Duchenne muscular dystrophy in blood serum of mdx mice using Raman hyperspectroscopy.

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is the most common and severe form of muscular dystrophy and affects boys in infancy or early childhood. Current methods for diagnosing DMD are often laborious, expensive, invasive, and typically diagnose the disease late in its progression. In an effort to improve the accuracy and ease of diagnosis, this study focused on developing a novel method for diagnosing DMD which combines Raman hyperspectroscopic analysis of blood serum with advanced statistical analysis.

Exceptional Nuclease Resistance of Paranemic Crossover (PX) DNA and Crossover-Dependent Biostability of DNA Motifs.

Nanometer-sized features and molecular recognition properties make DNA a useful material for nanoscale construction, but degradation in biological fluids poses a considerable roadblock to biomedical applications of DNA nanotechnology. Here, we report the remarkable biostability of a multistranded motif called paranemic crossover (PX) DNA. Compared to double stranded DNA, PX DNA has dramatically enhanced (sometimes >1000 fold) resistance to degradation by four different nucleases, bovine and human serum, and human urine.

DNA nanotechnology approaches for microRNA detection and diagnosis.

MicroRNAs are involved in the crucial processes of development and diseases and have emerged as a new class of biomarkers. The field of DNA nanotechnology has shown great promise in the creation of novel microRNA biosensors that have utility in lab-based biosensing and potential for disease diagnostics. In this Survey and Summary, we explore and review DNA nanotechnology approaches for microRNA detection, surveying the literature for microRNA detection in three main areas of DNA nanostructures: DNA tetrahedra, DNA origami, and DNA devices and motifs.

Cellular microRNA detection with miRacles: microRNA- activated conditional looping of engineered switches.

MicroRNAs are short noncoding regulatory RNAs that are increasingly used as disease biomarkers. Detection of microRNAs can be arduous and expensive and often requires amplification, labeling, or radioactive probes. Here, we report a single-step, nonenzymatic microRNA detection assay using conformationally responsive DNA nanoswitches.

Interaction between innate immunity and Ro52-induced antibody causes Sjögren's syndrome-like disorder in mice.

Objectives: Autoantibodies reactive with Ro52 are often found in sera of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS). This study was undertaken to investigate the role of Ro52-induced immune responses in pathogenesis of SS.

Methods: New Zealand Mixed (NZM) 2758 mice were immunised with Ro52 in alum adjuvant.

Hepcidin Mitigates Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Modulating Systemic Iron Homeostasis.

Iron-mediated oxidative stress is implicated in the pathogenesis of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury. Hepcidin is an endogenous acute phase hepatic hormone that prevents iron export from cells by inducing degradation of the only known iron export protein, ferroportin. In this study, we used a mouse model to investigate the effect of renal ischemia-reperfusion injury on systemic iron homeostasis and determine if dynamic modulation of iron homeostasis with hepcidin has therapeutic benefit in the treatment of AKI.

Inhibitor of differentiation 3, a transcription factor, regulates hyperlipidemia-associated kidney disease.

Background: Lipoprotein abnormalities are associated with a rapid decline in renal function in patients of chronic kidney disease. In addition, hyperlipidemia is associated with an increased risk of developing renal insufficiency. The underlying molecular mechanisms for these clinical findings are unclear.

Activated CD4+ T cells target mesangial antigens and initiate glomerulonephritis.

Aims: The role of kidney infiltrating T cells in the pathology of lupus nephritis is unclear. This study was undertaken to investigate whether CD4+ T cell responses to a surrogate mesangial antigen can initiate glomerulonephritis.

Methods: Ovalbumin (OVA) was deposited in the glomerular mesangium of C57BL/6 (B6) mice using anti-α8-integrin immunoliposomes (α8ILs).

Salivary gland hypofunction induced by activation of innate immunity is dependent on type I interferon signaling.

Background: Activation of innate immunity through polyinosinic:polycytidylic acid [poly(I:C)] causes acute salivary gland hypofunction. As a major consequence of poly(I:C) treatment is type I interferon (IFN) production, this study was undertaken to investigate their role in salivary gland dysfunction.

Methods: Different strains of mice deficient in either interferon alpha receptor (IFNAR1(-/-)) or IL-6(-/-), or IL-10(-/-), or EBI3(-/-) were treated with poly(I:C).