Force induced piezoelectric effect of polyvinylidene fluoride and polyvinylidene fluoride-co-trifluoroethylene nanofibrous scaffolds.

Polyvinylidene fluoride and its co-polymer with trifluoroethylene are promising biomaterials for supporting nerve regeneration processes because of their proven biocompatibility and piezoelectric properties that could stimulate cell ingrowth due to electrical activity upon mechanical deformation. This study reports the piezoelectric effect of electrospun polyvinylidene fluoride scaffolds in response to mechanical loading. An impact test machine was used to evaluate the generation of electrical voltage upon application of an impact load.

Dichotomous roles for externalized cardiolipin in extracellular signaling: Promotion of phagocytosis and attenuation of innate immunity.

Among the distinct molecular signatures present in the mitochondrion is the tetra-acylated anionic phospholipid cardiolipin, a lipid also present in primordial, single-cell bacterial ancestors of mitochondria and multiple bacterial species today. Cardiolipin is normally localized to the inner mitochondrial membrane; however, when cardiolipin becomes externalized to the surface of dysregulated mitochondria, it promotes inflammasome activation and stimulates the elimination of damaged or nonfunctional mitochondria by mitophagy. Given the immunogenicity of mitochondrial and bacterial membranes that are released during sterile and pathogen-induced trauma, we hypothesized that cardiolipins might function as "eat me" signals for professional phagocytes.

LC/MS analysis of cardiolipins in substantia nigra and plasma of rotenone-treated rats: Implication for mitochondrial dysfunction in Parkinson's disease.

Exposure to rotenone in vivo results in selective degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and development of neuropathologic features of Parkinson's disease (PD). As rotenone acts as an inhibitor of mitochondrial respiratory complex I, we employed oxidative lipidomics to assess oxidative metabolism of a mitochondria-specific phospholipid, cardiolipin (CL), in substantia nigra (SN) of exposed animals. We found a significant reduction in oxidizable polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA)-containing CL molecular species.

LC/MS characterization of rotenone induced cardiolipin oxidation in human lymphocytes: implications for mitochondrial dysfunction associated with Parkinson's disease.

Scope: Rotenone is a toxicant believed to contribute to the development of Parkinson's disease.

Methods And Results: Using human peripheral blood lymphocytes we demonstrated that exposure to rotenone resulted in disruption of electron transport accompanied by the production of reactive oxygen species, development of apoptosis and elevation of peroxidase activity of mitochondria. Employing LC/MS-based lipidomics/oxidative lipidomics we characterized molecular species of cardiolipin (CL) and its oxidation/hydrolysis products formed early in apoptosis and associated with the rotenone-induced mitochondrial dysfunction.