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Collagen is one of the most used materials in scaffolding production; this is due to its peculiar characteristics that make the polymer highly biocompatible and efficient in regeneration induction and growth cone guidance. We aimed to investigate whether collagen could per se induce Schwann cell differentiation/proliferation and how it would do so. Results obtained in immortalized rat Schwann cells showed differential effects on several proliferation and differentiation markers depending on the type of collagen used to produce the scaffolds.

Human genes for passive, ion-coupled transporters and exchangers are included in the so-called solute carrier (SLC) gene series, to date consisting of 52 families and 398 genes. Teleost fish genes for SLC proteins have also been described in the last two decades, and catalogued in preliminary SLC-like formin 50 families and at least 338 genes after systematic GenBank database mining (December 2010–March 2011).When the kinetic properties of the expressed proteins are studied in detail, teleost fish SLC transporters always reveal extraordinary ‘molecular diversity’ with respect to the mammalian counterparts, which reflects peculiar adaptation of the protein to the physiology of the species and/or to the environment where the species lives. In the case of the H+–oligopeptide transporter PEPT1(SLC15A1), comparative analysis of diverse teleost fish orthologs has shown that the protein may exhibit very eccentric properties in terms of pH dependence (e.g. the adaptation of zebrafish PEPT1 to alkaline pH), temperature dependence (e.g. the adaptation of icefish PEPT1 to sub-zero temperatures) and/or substrate specificity (e.g. the species-specificity of PEPT1 for the uptake of L-lysine-containing peptides). The revelation of such peculiarities is providing new contributions to the discussion on PEPT1 in both basic (e.g. molecular structure–function analyses) and applied research (e.g. optimizing diets to enhance growth of commercially valuable fish).

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of sea cucumber meal on gilthead sea bream growth. Two diets were used: a fishmeal based diet (control) and a diet containing 18% of sea cucumber meal inclusion (HM). A 100-days growth trial was carried out (120 fish, initial mean body weight of 35.28±9.31 g). The experimental plan used was monofactorial, balanced with three replicates for two experimental treatments (fish diet). The diets were isolipidic (CL 15.80 ±0.5%), isonitrogenous (CP 49.70±1.0%) and isoenergetic (GE 20.00±1.0 MJ kg-1) and feeding rate was 1.5% of biomass. At the end of the trial, growth performances parameters, digestive enzymes (liver and intestinal), haematological parameters, Na+/K+ ATPase activity were measured. Oressigenic and anoressigenic brain neuropeptides were also analyzed in order to investigate other effects of food intake in fish. Productive parameters, blood plasma parameters, enzyme activities and neuropeptides expression were not affected by the introduction of sea cucumber meal in fish feed thus showing that HM can be used as a partial substitute of fish meal in sea bream nutrition. © Published by Central Fisheries Research Institute (CFRI) Trabzon, Turkey in cooperation with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan.

Antioxidant phytochemicals, including the polyphenols from olive oil oleuropein (OE) and hydroxytyrosol (HT), and red wine antioxidant resveratrol (RSV) and quercetin (Q), are associated with low prevalence of cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Angiogenesis is a key process both in cancer and atherosclerosis, and is tightly regulated by molecular mediators including reactive oxygen species (ROS), cyclooxygenase (COX)-2 and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). We studied the effects of olive oil and red wine antioxidants on the angiogenic potential in an in vitro model of angiogenesis, and explored underlying mechanisms.

9 pages,5 figures, 1a table, The expression of aquaporins in the spermatozoa of the marine teleost gilthead sea bream (Sparus aurata) and their involvement in the motility activation process were investigated. Sperm motility was activated by a hyperosmotic shock, but it was completely inhibited by 10 lM HgCl2, such inhibition being partially recovered by beta-mercaptoethanol (ME). Conventional RT-PCR using primers specific for S. aurata aquaglyceroporin (glp) and aquaporin 1a (aqp1a) demonstrated the presence of both mRNAs in spermatozoa. Heterologous expression in Xenopus laevis oocytes showed that 10 and 100 lM HgCl2 equally inhibited water and solute transport through S. aurata aquaporin 1a and S. aurata aquaglyceroporin, but treatment with ME only recovered aquaporin 1a-mediated water permeability. Western blot analysis using isoform-specific antisera on protein extracts from spermatozoa revealed bands that corresponded to the predicted molecular mass of S. aurata aquaglyceroporin (31 kDa) and S. aurata aquaporin 1a (28 kDa). The antisera also demonstrated that both aquaporins were localized in the head and flagellum of the spermatozoa. However, the immunoreaction at the plasma membrane of the spermatozoa head was more intense after the hyperosmotic activation, suggesting the translocation of both aquaporin 1a and aquaglyceroporin into the plasma membrane after the osmotic shock. This study therefore provides the first direct demonstration for the presence of aquaporins in fish sperm. The different sensitivities of S. aurata aquaporin 1a and S. aurata aquaglyceroporin to ME may explain the failure of this reducing agent to fully recover the mercurial inhibition of sperm motility, suggesting that these aquaporins may play different physiological roles during the activation and maintenance of sperm motility in sea bream., 1Supported by the Ministry of Agriculture and Aquaculture of the Region Puglia (Italy) under the program between the Region of Puglia and the University of Salento, and by Spanish Ministry of Education and Science grant AGL2007-60262/ACU to J.C. F.C. was supported by the Marie Curie Research Training Network Aqua(glycero)porins grant MRTN-CT-2006-035995 from the European Commission.

Two types of gliomatosis cerebri exist: Type I and Type II. We report the results of a histological and genetic study of two cases of gliomatosis cerebri Type II, correlating these results with therapy and prognosis. Case presentation Two patients, a 52-year-old man (Patient 1) and a 76-year-old man (Patient 2) with gliomatosis cerebri II were admitted to our institution; they underwent surgical treatment and received radiotherapy and chemotherapy. At the 24-month follow-up, Patient 1 was still alive, while Patient 2 had died. The poor prognosis of Patient 2 was underlined by molecular analysis which showed that the angiogenesis related genes VCAM1 and VEGF were overexpressed, reflecting the high degree of neovascularization. Conclusion Genes involved in drug resistance and metallothioneins were highly expressed in Patient 2 and this, associated with unmethylated O6-methylguanine methyltransferase, can explain the lack of response to chemotherapy.

Background and purpose: We showed previously that cisplatin inititates a signalling pathway mediated by PKC-delta/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), important for maintaining viability in PC Cl3 thyroid cells. The studies described herein examined whether c-fos was associated with cisplatin resistance and the signalling link between c-fos and PKC-delta/ERK. Experimental approach: Cells were treated with various pharmacological inhibitors of PKCs and ERK, or were depleted of c-fos, PKC-delta, PKC-epsilon and caspase-3 by small interfering RNA (siRNA), then incubated with cisplatin and cytotoxicity assessed. Key results: Cisplatin provokes the induction of c-fos and the activation of conventional PKC-beta, and novel PKC-delta and -epsilon. The cisplatin-provoked c-fos induction was decreased by Gö6976, a PKC-beta inhibitor; by siRNA for PKC-delta- but not that for PKC-epsilon or by PD98059, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase inhibitor. Expression of c-fos was abolished by GF109203X, an inhibitor of all PKC isoforms, or by PD98059 plus Gö6976 or by PKC-delta-siRNA plus Gö6976. When c-fos expression was blocked by siRNA, cisplatin cytotoxicity was strongly enhanced with increased caspase-3 activation. In PKC-delta-depleted cells treated with cisplatin, caspase-3 activation was increased and cell viability decreased. In these PKC-delta-depleted cells, PD98059 did not affect caspase-3 activation. Conclusions and implications: In PC Cl3 cells, in the cell signalling pathways that lead to cisplatin resistance, PKC-delta controls ERK activity and, together with PKC-beta, also the induction of c-fos. Hence, the protective role of c-fos in thyroid cells has the potential to provide new opportunities for therapeutic intervention.

We have previously demonstrated that in sea bream Sparus aurata motility initiation determined changes in the phosphorylation state of some proteins. This paper describes an investigation of the effect of a freezing–thawing procedure on the protein phosphorylation/dephosphorylation pattern. Proteins extracted from fresh and cryopreserved spermatozoa (before and after motility activation) were separated on SDS–PAGE, blotted on nitrocellulose membrane and treated with anti-phosphotyrosine, antiphosphothreonine, or anti-phosphoserine antibodies. The results obtained demonstrate that the cryopreservation protocol has a strong effect on the phosphorylation state of proteins. In general, compared to fresh sperm, phosphorylated proteins are most numerous in both activated and non-activated cryopreserved sperm, and in particular we observed a dramatic increase in threonine phosphorylation. However, frozen–thawed sperm showed a minor number of proteins that changed their phosphorylation state after motility activation. Among these, we identified the acetyl-coenzyme A synthetase that plays a role in sperm motility initiation in both fresh and cryopreserved sperm.