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The role of glia in epilepsy has been widely debated. Using in vivo bulk loading of calcium dyes, we imaged neuronal and glial activity in an acute pharmacologic rodent model of neocortical seizures. Optical calcium-based ECoG maps revealed that neuronal waves propagated rapidly and remained mostly confined to the seizure focus. Glial waves were triggered by ictal onset but propagated slowly in a stereotypical fashion far beyond the seizure focus. Although related at their onset, the divergence of these two phenomena during seizure evolution calls into question their interdependence and the criticality of the role of glia in seizure onset and neurovascular coupling. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Status Epilepticus"., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The generation in vitro of cultured red blood cells (cRBC) could become an alternative to classical transfusion products. However, even when derived from healthy donors, the cRBC generated in vitro from hematopoietic stem cells may display alterations resulting from a poor controlled production process. In this context, we attempted to monitor the quality of the transfusion products arising from new biotechnologies. For that purpose, we developed an in vitro erythrophagocytosis (EP) test with the murine fibroblast cell line MS-5 and human macrophages (reference method). We evaluated 38 batches of cRBC, at the stage of reticulocyte, generated from CD34(+) cells isolated from placental blood or by leukapheresis. We showed that (i) the EP test performed with the MS-5 cell line was sensitive and can replace human macrophages for the evaluation of cultured cells. (ii) The EP tests revealed disparities among the batches of cRBC. (iii) The viability of the cells (determined by calcein-AM test), the expression of CD47 (antiphagocytosis receptor) and the externalization of phosphatidylserine (PS, marker of phagocytosis) were not critical parameters for the validation of the cRBC. (iv) Conversely, the cell deformability determined by ektacytometry was inversely correlated with the intensity of the phagocytic index. Assuming that the culture conditions directly influence the quality of the cell products generated, optimization of the production mode could benefit from the erythrophagocytosis test., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

To investigate the effect of an adenosine agonist, 2-5'-N-ethylcarboxamidoadenosine (NECA), on the outward active transport of fluorescein across the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in rabbits. High (5x10(-4)-2x10(-3) M) and low (1x10(-5)-1x10(-4) M) concentrations of NECA or phosphate buffered saline (PBS) were intravitreously injected into Dutch-belted rabbits. Sodium fluorescein was injected intravenously 180 min after NECA. Differential vitreous fluorophotometry was performed 3 hr after the sodium fluorescein injection and the vitreal fluorescein/fluorescein monoglucuronide (F/FG) ratio then was calculated. The F/FG ratios are inversely proportional to the outward active transport of fluorescein across the RPE. Retinal detachments were induced by injection of PBS into the subretinal space after the intravitreous injection of low- or high-dose NECA or PBS, and the size of the blebs was monitored. In eyes that received a low-dose injection of NECA, the F/FG ratio was higher compared with controls (P<0.05); in eyes that received a high-dose intravitreal injection, the F/FG ratio was significantly lower compared with controls (P<0.05). The effect of low-dose NECA on the F/FG ratio was suppressed by the A2 receptor antagonist, ZM241385, and the effect of high-dose NECA was suppressed by the A1 receptor antagonist, 8-cyclopentyl-1, 3-dipropylxanthine. The A3 receptor antagonist MRS1191 did not influence the effect of low- or high-dose NECA. Intravitreal injection of high-dose NECA enhanced the reabsorption of subretinal fluid compared with PBS; however, low-dose NECA inhibited reabsorption of subretinal fluid (P<0.02 and 0.05, respectively). Intravitreous injection of high-dose NECA accelerates the active outward transport across the RPE via A1 receptors and low-dose NECA decelerates it via A2 receptors.

The Ysc-Yop type III secretion (TTS) system allows extracellular Yersinia bacteria, adhering to eukaryotic target cells, to inject Yop effector proteins in the cytosol of these cells. The secretion apparatus, called the injectisome, ends up with a needle-like structure made of YscF. YopN, one of the proteins secreted by the injectisome is thought to act as a plug. YopB, YopD and LcrV, three other proteins secreted by the injectisome and called 'translocators' form a pore allowing translocation of the Yop effectors across the target cell plasma membrane. Here, we tested the role of LcrV, YscF and YopN in the formation of this pore in macrophages by monitoring the release of the low-molecular-weight fluorescent dye BCECF (2',7'-bis-(2-carboxyethyl)-5-(and-6)-carboxyfluorescein, acetoxymethyl ester, 623Da) and of the high-molecular-weight lactate dehydrogenase (LDH, 135 kDa). BCECF is released through the translocation pore itself provided no Yop effector is trafficking through the channel. In contrast, LDH is released by the osmotic lysis of the target cell that occurs after pore formation. This release is reduced by the GAP activity of YopE. In order to study the role of LcrV, one has to circumvent the regulatory effect of LcrV on the synthesis of YopB and YopD. We observed here that this regulatory role of LcrV is lost in a yopQ mutant and hence we studied the role of LcrV in a yopQ mutant background. A lcrV, yopQ double mutant was deficient in pore formation while able to produce YopB and YopD. Pore formation was restored by the introduction of lcrV(+) but not yopQ(+) confirming that LcrV itself is directly required for pore formation. Bacteria secreting only YopB, YopD and LcrV could form pores, showing that YopB, YopD and LcrV are sufficient for pore formation provided they are secreted by the same bacterium. LcrV is not involved in secretion of YopB and YopD as suggested previously. Bacteria producing normal Ysc injectisomes, including the YscF needle but no translocators did not form pores, indicating that the needle is not sufficient by itself for pore formation, as was also suggested. yopN mutant bacteria formed needles and released BCECF even if they secreted the effectors. This observation suggests that many translocation pores are not filled in the absence of YopN and thus that YopN might form a link between the needle and the pore, guiding the effectors.

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) formation following brief periods of ischemia or hypoxia is thought to be the underlying cause of myocardial stunning. Adenosine A1 receptor activation prior to ischemia/hypoxia attenuates stunning, although the mechanism for this effect remains unknown. Isolated rat ventricular myocytes loaded with the ROS-sensitive indicator dichlorofluorescin were subjected to 30 min glucose-free hypoxia followed by reoxygenation. Intracellular ROS increased approximately 175% (from pre-hypoxic levels) during reoxygenation while cell shortening decreased approximately 50%. In myocytes pretreated with the adenosine A1 agonist 2-chloro-N(6)-cyclopentyladenosine (CCPA), reoxygenation-induced ROS formation was attenuated by 40% and stunning was attenuated by 50% (compared to untreated myocytes). The mitochondrial K(ATP) channel opener diazoxide mimicked the effects of CCPA. Pretreatment with the mitochondrial K(ATP) channel blocker 5-hydroxydecanoate, or the non-selective K(ATP) channel blocker glibenclamide, blocked the effects of CCPA. These results suggest that adenosine A1 receptor activation attenuates stunning by reducing ROS formation. These effects of A1 receptor activation appear to be dependent on the opening of K(ATP) channels.

To determine if an iron-chelating prodrug that must undergo intracellular hydrolysis to bind iron has antimalarial activity, we examined the action of dexrazoxane on Plasmodium falciparum cultured in human erythrocytes and P. yoelii cultured in mouse hepatocytes. Dexrazoxane was recently approved to protect humans from doxorubucin-induced cardiotoxicity. Using the fluorescent marker calcein, we confirmed that the iron-chelating properties of dexrazoxane are directly related to its ability to undergo hydrolysis. As a single agent, dexrazoxane inhibited synchronized cultures of P. falciparum in human erythrocytes only at suprapharmacologic concentrations (> 200 microM). In combination with desferrioxamine B, dexrazoxane in pharmacologic concentrations (100-200 microM) moderately potentiated inhibition by approximately 20%. In contrast, pharmacologic concentrations of dexrazoxane (50-200 microM) as a single agent inhibited the progression of P. yoelli from sporozoites to schizonts in cultured mouse hepatocytes by 45 to 69% (P < 0.001). These results are consistent with the presence of a dexrazoxane-hydrolyzing enzyme in hepatocytes but not in erythrocytes or malaria parasites. Furthermore, these findings suggest that dexrazoxane must be hydrolyzed to an iron-chelating intermediate before it can inhibit the malaria parasite, and they raise the possibility that the iron chelator prodrug concept might be exploited to synthesize new antimalarial agents.

Quenching of fluorescence of fluorescein is not observed with broad field fluorophotometers. Fluorophotometric equipment which measures the fluorescence in a tiny spot has, however, been reported to underestimate the molarity of fluorescein in the rabbit corneal stroma by as much as a factor of two. In this experiment, quenching was measured in the rabbit cornea with two scanning fluorophotometers. The quenching was measured by four different techniques: (1) by elution of fluorescein, (2) by elution of albumin, (3) by polarization of fluorescence, and (4) by spectrofluorophotometry. It was estimated by all four methods that quenching in the living rabbit cornea with these instruments is approximately 20%. Taken together, the four experiments suggest that the quenching of fluorescence of fluorescein can be explained entirely on the basis of the interaction of fluorescein and albumin in the stroma.