Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela Amelio, Filippo Garofalo
Summary: African lungfish undergo remarkable morphological and biochemical adjustments in the skin during aestivation, including reorganization of epidermal layers, decrease of mucous cells, regenerative processes, and changes in Heat Shock Proteins expression. Our findings suggest a protective role for these adjustments in response to the stressful conditions associated with aestivation.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY B-BIOCHEMISTRY & MOLECULAR BIOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Oncology
Jin-Ju Kim, Alessia Fornoni
Summary: Researchers isolated podocytes from patients with AS and proteinuria, finding lower motility and higher albumin permeability in AS podocytes. The establishment of urine-derived podocyte cell lines may provide a valuable tool for investigating cellular mechanisms in kidney disease progression in AS.
JOURNAL OF PATHOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Pauline Caillard, Cecile Vigneau, Jean-Michel Halimi, Marc Hazzan, Eric Thervet, Morgane Heitz, Laurent Juillard, Vincent Audard, Marion Rabant, Alexandre Hertig, Jean-Francois Subra, Vincent Vuiblet, Dominique Guerrot, Mathilde Tamain, Marie Essig, Thierry Lobbedez, Thomas Quemeneur, Mathieu Legendre, Alexandre Ganea, Marie-Noelle Peraldi, Francois Vrtovsnik, Maite Daroux, Raifah Makdassi, Gabriel Choukroun, Dimitri Titeca-Beauport
Summary: In patients with anti-glomerular basement membrane disease, low serum C3 levels and the presence of C3 glomerular deposits are associated with more severe disease and kidney involvement at diagnosis. In patients not on dialysis at diagnosis, the presence of C3 deposits is associated with worse kidney survival.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Mychel R. P. T. Morais, Pinyuan Tian, Craig Lawless, Syed Murtuza-Baker, Louise Hopkinson, Steven Woods, Aleksandr Mironov, David A. Long, Daniel P. Gale, Telma M. T. Zorn, Susan J. Kimber, Roy Zent, Rachel Lennon
Summary: By studying kidney organoids, we have revealed the complex and dynamic nature of basement membrane assembly, and identified its importance in human development and disease.
Article
Engineering, Biomedical
Dan Wang, Snehal Sant, Nicholas Ferrell
Summary: This study explores the roles of GBM and podocytes in the glomerular filtration barrier, and develops a 3D cell culture model to evaluate their effects on molecular diffusion. The results indicate that GBM alone provides a stringent barrier, while podocytes further restrict molecular diffusion.
ADVANCED HEALTHCARE MATERIALS
(2021)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Lijun Zhao, Junlin Zhang, Song Lei, Honghong Ren, Yutong Zou, Lin Bai, Rui Zhang, Huan Xu, Lin Li, Yuancheng Zhao, Mark E. Cooper, Nanwei Tong, Jie Zhang, Fang Liu
Summary: The thickness of tubular basement membrane (TBM) enhances the renal prognosis in patients with type 2 diabetes, and combining the thickness of both TBM and glomerular basement membrane (GBM) can better predict end-stage renal disease.
JOURNAL OF DIABETES
(2021)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Xiaohan Yuan, Qing Su, Hui Wang, Sufang Shi, Lijun Liu, Jicheng Lv, Suxia Wang, Li Zhu, Hong Zhang
Summary: This study compared patients with sporadic IgA nephropathy (IgAN) with thinned glomerular basement membrane (tGBM) lesions to patients without tGBM lesions and patients with thin basement membrane nephropathy (TBMN) by screening COL4A3/COL4A4/COL4A5 gene variants. The results showed that patients with IgAN-tGBM who had diagnostic variants of these genes had milder disease manifestation.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NEPHROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Nahed N. Mahrous, Yahya F. Jamous, Ahmad M. Almatrafi, Deema I. Fallatah, Abdulrahman Theyab, Bayan H. Alanati, Suliman A. Alsagaby, Munifa K. Alenazi, Mohammed I. Khan, Yousef M. Hawsawi
Summary: Alport syndrome is a rare genetic disorder characterized by kidney function loss, hearing loss, and eye abnormalities. It is caused by mutations in three genes and has different patterns of inheritance. There are no known cures for the disease, but there are treatments available to slow its progression. This review provides an overview of the clinical and genetic characteristics of the disease, as well as its prevalence in Saudi Arabia. It also discusses advancements in gene editing technologies and emphasizes the importance of early diagnosis and disease management.
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Xuanli Tang, Feng Wan, Qin Zhu, Tian Ye, Xue Jiang, Haichun Yang
Summary: The study found that IgG subclass was selectively deposited along GBM and/or TBM in DN, with the mixed type of IgG subclass deposition on TBM having more clinical significance. IgG subclass deposition is merely a manifestation or a consequence rather than a cause in DN.
EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Wei Qu, Nan Liu, Tianhua Xu, Binyao Tian, Meng Wang, Yanqiu Li, Jianfei Ma, Li Yao
Summary: The coexistence of anti-GBM disease, idiopathic membranous nephropathy, and IgA nephropathy in one patient is very rare. Treatment including high-dose steroids, plasma exchange, and intravenous infusion led to improvement in the patient's condition.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Physiology
Liang Ning, Hani Y. Suleiman, Jeffrey H. Miner
Summary: In a study investigating the impact of Synaptopodin (Synpo) deficiency on Alport syndrome (AS) in mice, it was found that lack of Synpo accelerated disease progression, leading to more severe proteinuria and glomerulosclerosis. The absence of Synpo also affected the distribution of myosin IIA in podocytes, suggesting that the actin cytoskeleton of podocytes could be a potential therapeutic target in AS.
AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-RENAL PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Immunology
Anqi Tang, Xin Zhao, Tian Tao, Dengpiao Xie, Bojun Xu, Youqun Huang, Mingquan Li
Summary: Anti-GBM disease is a rare but life-threatening autoimmune disorder. Complement activation plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of the disease, and certain complement factors are associated with the severity of renal injury and act as risk factors for renal outcomes. Patients with both ANCA and anti-GBM antibodies exhibit a unique clinical phenotype, suggesting that complement activation may be a bridge between these two diseases.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Pediatrics
Richard W. Naylor, Elizabeth Watson, Samantha Williamson, Rebecca Preston, J. Bernard Davenport, Nicole Thornton, Martin Lowe, Maggie Williams, Rachel Lennon
Summary: A novel homozygous truncating variant in CD151 was identified in a young child with nail dystrophy and persistent urinary tract infections presenting with nephrotic-range proteinuria. The imaging of patient kidney tissue revealed thickening of GBM and podocyte effacement. Functional testing in zebrafish confirmed that depletion of cd151 caused proteinuria, indicating the association of CD151 variant with nephrotic-range proteinuria and microscopic hematuria.
PEDIATRIC NEPHROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Urology & Nephrology
Bhanu Prasad, Aditi Sharma, Mathew B. Lanktree, Kunal Goyal, Pouneh Dokouhaki
Summary: Loin pain hematuria syndrome (LPHS) is a rare clinical syndrome characterized by severe kidney pain and hematuria without identifiable urinary tract disease. The pathophysiology of the disease is not well understood, and current management focuses on symptomatic pain relief. In this study, conventional histopathology and genetic testing were unable to identify the cause of hematuria in 14 LPHS patients.
KIDNEY INTERNATIONAL REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Meral Uner, Secil Demirkol Canli, Lois J. Arend
Summary: Replacing equipment and software can improve efficiency in the laboratory, but may introduce changes in established values; evaluation of new equipment and software is crucial for quality assurance; calibration adjustments are necessary for accurate diagnosis with new equipment and software.
MICROSCOPY RESEARCH AND TECHNIQUE
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Justin W. J. Chan, Mel Boo, Wai P. Wong, Shit F. Chew, Yuen K. Ip
Summary: The fluted giant clam, Tridacna squamosa, can perform light-enhanced shell formation with the assistance of symbiotic dinoflagellates. This process involves increased Ca2+ transport, absorption of exogenous Ca2+, and regulation of intracellular Ca2+ concentration by SERCA. The expression of SERCA-like transporter in the ctenidium and inner mantle of T. squamosa plays a crucial role in light-enhanced shell formation.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
John Ndegwa Maina, Jose Manuel Icardo, Giacomo Zaccone, Marialuisa Aragona, Eugenia Rita Lauriano, Alessio Alesci, Marco Albano, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Antonino Germana, Jorge Manuel Oliveira Fernandes, Viswanath Kiron, Gioele Capillo
Summary: This study focused on the immune cell network in the gill and air-breathing organs of the sharptooth catfish, highlighting the interactions between different immune cells, neurotransmitters, and antimicrobial peptides. The research revealed the presence of a cholinergic innervation network across the gas exchange barrier and the localization of Ach in specific cells, providing insights into the neuro-immune interactions at mucosal barrier surfaces in fish.
ANATOMICAL RECORD-ADVANCES IN INTEGRATIVE ANATOMY AND EVOLUTIONARY BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Yuen K. Ip, Mel Boo, Miguel Mies, Shit F. Chew
Summary: The study found that after 30 days of exposure to darkness, giant clams showed significant changes in coloration and gene expression in the outer mantle. However, after returning to a normal photoperiod for just 11 days, the quantity of symbionts and coloration increased significantly, indicating that the giant clam-coccoid dinoflagellate holobiont is phototrophically plastic and particularly tolerant to bleaching.
Article
Chemistry, Medicinal
Giacomo Zaccone, Gioele Capillo, Jorge Manuel Oliveira Fernandes, Viswanath Kiron, Eugenia Rita Lauriano, Alessio Alesci, Patrizia Lo Cascio, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Michal Kuciel, Krystyna Zuwala, Jose Manuel Icardo, Atsushi Ishimatsu, Ryosuke Murata, Takafumi Amagai, Antonino Germana, Marialuisa Aragona
Summary: Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are multifunctional peptides with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities. This review focuses on the molecular characterization of the fish-specific AMP piscidin1 and its role in the immune response against pathogens. The discovery of piscidins in the gill and skin and their potential as drug targets for antimicrobial barrier function and aquaculture therapy is important for future research.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Mel Boo, Caryn Z. Pang, Shit F. Chew, Yuen K. Ip
Summary: Giant clams require increased transport of Ca2+ and HCO3- for shell formation. This study identified two proteins involved in HCO3- transport and found that their expression levels increased significantly in response to light, suggesting their role in light-enhanced uptake of HCO3-.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Caryn Z. Pang, Mel Boo, Yuen K. Ip, Shit F. Chew
Summary: Research on giant clams reveals that dinoflagellates utilize AMT2 to absorb ammonia in photosynthesis, particularly with a stronger absorption capacity in dinoflagellates residing in the outer mantle, enhancing the assimilation process of ammonia.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Germaine C. Y. Teng, Mel V. Boo, Siew H. Lam, Caryn Z. Pang, Shit F. Chew, Yuen K. Ip
Summary: This study reports on the glycerol transport protein in the symbionts of giant clams and suggests potential differences in glycerol transport capabilities among different genetic types.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Yuen K. Ip, Charmaine W. Q. Leong, Mel Boo, Wai P. Wong, Siew H. Lam, Shit F. Chew
Summary: African lungfishes are highly ammonia-tolerant obligatory air-breathers. The study found that branchial vacuolar-type H+-ATPase (Vha) played a crucial role in regulating the acidification of the external medium in lungfishes. Furthermore, exposure to high ammonia concentrations resulted in increased expression and activity of Vha, enhancing its ability to acidify the external medium.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Caryn Z. Pang, Yuen K. Ip, Shit F. Chew
Summary: This study used transcript levels of ammonia transporter in different genera of Symbiodiniaceae dinoflagellates to estimate their potential of ammonia transport in the fluted giant clam. The results indicated that different phylotypes of Symbiodinium and Cladocopium have different potentials of ammonia transport, and Symbiodinium phylotypes might have higher potential of NO3- transport than ammonia transport. The study also revealed disparate potentials of ammonia transport among Symbiodiniaceae phylotypes residing in different organs of T. squamosa, suggesting functional diversity among these phylotypes.
COMPARATIVE BIOCHEMISTRY AND PHYSIOLOGY A-MOLECULAR & INTEGRATIVE PHYSIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Raagavi Mani, Mel Boo, Siow Y. Ng, Shit F. Chew, Yuen K. Ip
Summary: Giant clams harbor symbiotic dinoflagellates that possess their own carbon concentration mechanism and are influenced by light exposure. The study indicates that light enhances the gene and protein expression levels of the symbiotic dinoflagellates in the clam's outer mantle, and different species may vary in their ability to generate CO2.
Article
Cell Biology
Giacomo Zaccone, Gioele Capillo, Marialuisa Aragona, Alessio Alesci, Camila Cupello, Eugenia Rita Lauriano, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Michal Kuciel, Kristina Zuwala, Antonino Germana, Jose Manuel Icardo
Summary: In this study, we conducted a morphological and immunohistochemical study of the gills of juvenile specimens of the obligate air-breathing fish Heterotis niloticus. The gills showed a reduced respiratory surface area by development of an interlamellar cellular mass (ILCM), which persisted under both normoxia and hypoxia. Neuroepithelial cells (NECs), the major oxygen and hypoxia sensing cell type, expressed 5HT, nNOS, and VAChT and were associated with nitrergic nerve fibers. The O2 levels did not affect the characteristics of NECs.
Article
Cell Biology
Alejandro Castilla-Ibeas, Sofia Zdral, Laura Galan, Endika Haro, Lila Allou, Victor M. Campa, Jose M. Icardo, Stefan Mundlos, Kerby C. Oberg, Marian A. Ros
Summary: Mammalian digit tip regeneration is dependent on the presence of nail tissue, and a nail-specific model is lacking. Nail-less double-ventral digits of DLARM1/2 mutants fail to regenerate, while double-dorsal double-nail digits can regenerate. Transcriptomic comparison reveals differential upregulation of vascularization and connective tissue functional signatures in wild-type digits versus upregulation of inflammation in the mutant, suggesting additional roles of Lmx1b in digit tip regeneration beyond nail formation.
Article
Anatomy & Morphology
Jose M. Icardo, Alessio Alesci, Michal Kuciel, Krystyna Zuwala, Maria C. Guerrera, Giacomo Zaccone
Summary: This study investigates the structure and relationships of the respiratory gas bladder and vertebrae in the osteoglossiform fish Heterotis niloticus. The gas bladder has a glottis-like opening and is lined with a highly vascularized parenchyma with alveolar-like structure. It exhibits good potential for respiratory gas exchange. The ventral wall of the gas bladder has a well-vascularized membrane and a richly innervated smooth muscle layer, implying adjustability. The trunk and caudal vertebrae have surface openings and intravertebral pneumatic spaces invaded by the bladder parenchyma. The findings suggest the exceptional role of the African Arowana in postcranial skeletal pneumaticity outside of Archosauria.
JOURNAL OF MORPHOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Bjarke Jensen, Antoon Fransiscus Maria Moorman, Tobias Wang, Peter Rask Moller, Jose Manuel Icardo, Henrik Lauridsen
Article
Fisheries
Giacomo Zaccone, Alessio Alesci, Doaa M. M. Mokhtar, Marialuisa Aragona, Maria Cristina Guerrera, Gioele Capillo, Marco Albano, Jorge de Oliveira Fernandes, Viswanath Kiron, Ramy K. A. Sayed, Marwa M. M. Hussein, Patrizia Lo Cascio, Michal Kuciel, Krystyna Zuwala, Antonino Germana, Jose Manuel Icardo, Eugenia Rita Lauriano
Summary: The recognition and elimination of invading pathogens are essential for host survival. Macrophages, which function similarly to vertebrate macrophages, play a crucial role in host protection in all multicellular organisms. CD14 is a pattern responsible for bacterial recognition found on the surface of macrophages. These cells store antimicrobial molecules and display polarization states similar to mammalian macrophages. The present study reports the presence of various cell markers, including CD14, in the intestinal macrophages of catfish and bonytongue, providing insights into the in vivo function of macrophages in fish.