Tsc1 represses parvalbumin expression and fast-spiking properties in somatostatin lineage cortical interneurons.

Medial ganglionic eminence (MGE)-derived somatostatin (SST)+ and parvalbumin (PV)+ cortical interneurons (CINs), have characteristic molecular, anatomical and physiological properties. However, mechanisms regulating their diversity remain poorly understood. Here, we show that conditional loss of the Tuberous Sclerosis Complex (TSC) gene, Tsc1, which inhibits the mammalian target of rapamycin (MTOR), causes a subset of SST+ CINs, to express PV and adopt fast-spiking (FS) properties, characteristic of PV+ CINs.

Cytokine combination therapy with long-acting erythropoietin and granulocyte colony stimulating factor improves cardiac function but is not superior than monotherapy in a mouse model of acute myocardial infarction.

Background: Erythropoietin (EPO) and granulocyte colony stimulating factor (GCSF) are potential novel therapies after myocardial infarction (MI). We first established the optimal and clinically applicable dosages of these drugs in mobilizing hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), and then tested the efficacy of monotherapy and combination therapy post-MI.

Methods And Results: Optimal doses were established in enhanced green fluorescent protein (eGFP) + chimeric mice (n = 30).

Injection of bone marrow cell extract into infarcted hearts results in functional improvement comparable to intact cell therapy.

We compared therapeutic benefits of intramyocardial injection of unfractionated bone marrow cells (BMCs) versus BMC extract as treatments for myocardial infarction (MI), using closed-chest ultrasound-guided injection at a clinically relevant time post-MI. MI was induced in mice and the animals treated at day 3 with either: (i) BMCs from green fluorescent protein (GFP)-expressing mice (n = 14), (ii) BMC extract (n = 14), or (iii) saline control (n = 14). Six animals per group were used for histology at day 6 and the rest followed to day 28 for functional analysis.

Brief secondhand smoke exposure depresses endothelial progenitor cells activity and endothelial function: sustained vascular injury and blunted nitric oxide production.

Objectives: This study sought to analyze the effects of acute secondhand smoke (SHS) exposure on the number and function of endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) over 24 h.

Background: Secondhand smoke increases the risk of vascular disease and is a major public health concern, but the mechanism(s) of action are not fully understood.

Methods: Healthy nonsmokers (age SEM 30.

Circulating endothelial microparticle levels predict hemodynamic severity of pulmonary hypertension.

Rationale: Circulating microparticles (MPs) are submicron membrane fragments shed from damaged or activated vascular cells. Endothelial MPs are a biological marker of dysfunctional endothelium. Vascular remodeling and endothelial dysfunction are involved in pulmonary hypertension (PH).

Estrogen receptor-alpha and beta are differentially distributed, expressed and activated in the fetal genital tubercle.

Purpose: We examined the ontogenic and sex specific expression of estrogen receptor-alpha and beta in mouse genital tubercles and assessed the effects of in utero estrogen exposure on these parameters.

Materials And Methods: Expression of the 2 genes was detected in mouse genital tubercles from fetuses collected on gestational days 12, 14, 16 and 18, and from newborns using immunohistochemistry and quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Pregnant dams were exposed to ethinyl estradiol or corn oil as the control.

Isolation, culture, and characterization of human fetal trabecular meshwork cells.

Purpose: To isolate and characterize fetal trabecular meshwork (FTM) cells for study in culture. Cultured adult trabecular meshwork (TM) cells often possess a slower rate of growth and restricted number of population doublings, limiting the ability to perform expanded testing.

Methods: Fetal eyes from 24-week gestation abortions were delicately dissected to isolate the developing trabecular meshwork tissue.