Cell replacement therapy using neural progenitor cells (NPCs) following ischemic stroke is a promising potential therapeutic strategy, but lacks efficacy for human central nervous system (CNS) therapeutics. In a previous in vitro study, we reported that the overexpression of human arginine decarboxylase (ADC) genes by a retroviral plasmid vector promoted the neuronal differentiation of mouse NPCs. In the present study, we focused on the cellular mechanism underlying cell proliferation and differentiation following ischemic injury, and the therapeutic feasibility of NPCs overexpressing ADC genes (ADC-NPCs) following ischemic stroke. To mimic cerebral ischemia in vitro , we subjected the NPCs to oxygen-glucose deprivation (OGD). The overexpressing ADC-NPCs were differentiated by neural lineage, which was related to excessive intracellular calcium-mediated cell cycle arrest and phosphorylation in the ERK1/2, CREB, and STAT1 signaling cascade following ischemic injury. Moreover, the ADC-NPCs were able to resist mitochondrial membrane potential collapse in the increasingly excessive intracellular calcium environment. Subsequently, transplanted ADC-NPCs suppressed infarct volume, and promoted neural differentiation, synapse formation, and motor behavior performance in an in vivo tMCAO rat model. The results suggest that ADC-NPCs are potentially useful for cell replacement therapy following ischemic stroke.
Animals ; Arginine ; Brain Ischemia ; Calcium ; Cell Cycle Checkpoints ; Cell Proliferation ; Central Nervous System ; Humans ; In Vitro Techniques ; Membrane Potential, Mitochondrial ; Mice ; Models, Animal ; Neurons ; Phosphorylation ; Plasmids ; Stem Cells ; Stroke ; Synapses ; Zidovudine

Purpose: Missing teeth is one of the most important indicators of oral health behavior and the result of dental caries, periodontal disease, and injuries. This study examined a trend in the incidence of severe partial edentulism (SPE) using the Korean National Health Insurance Service (KNHIS) data. Materials and Methods: Data of adults aged ≥20 years were obtained from the KNHIS for the 2014–2018 period. SPE was defined in dental information within a population with a treatment history of dental scaling as having 1 to 8 natural teeth. Crude incidence rates (CIRs) and age-standardized incidence rates (AIRs) with 95% confidence interval were calculated per 100000 persons. The Cochran Armitage trend (CAT) test and average annual percentage change were used to analyze SPE trends. Results: The CIRs among Korean adults were from 346.29 to 391.11 in 2014–2016 and from 391.11 to 354.09 in 2016–2018. The AIRs trend statistically increased by 4.31% from 346.29 to 376.80 and decreased by 4.72% from 376.80 to 342.10. The AIRs in men increased by 4.00% and decreased by 3.01%. The AIRs in women decreased by 2.18% and increased by 2.11% (CAT; p<0.01). The AIRs by region and income also showed trends of increase and decrease. Conclusion The study showed that the incidence trend of SPE increased and decreased from 2014 to 2018. This result would be able to aid in the planning of public oral health, and may also serve as fundamental data for verifying the impact of the public oral health policies implemented.

Mycobacterium abscessus has been identified as an emerging pulmonary pathogen in humans. Previously, it was documented that a spontaneously formed rough variant of M. abscessus causes persistent and invasive infection in mice, while a smooth isogenic variant does not. However, little is known for immune responses elicited by M. abscessus variants artificially induced by culture conditions and their culture filtrate antigens. Thus, morphological variants of M. abscessus type strain (ATCC19977T) were generated by an acidic and low oxygen culture conditions. Overall comparison between the variant and its original smooth strain showed that the rough variant was less virulent than original smooth strain in murine bone-marrow derived macrophage. To understand the basis for the difference, the protein expression pattern in the culture filtrates of each strain was analyzed by 1-dimensional electrophoresis. Generally, the protein expressions were more influenced by pH conditions than oxygen pressures. Interestingly, several proteins, mainly lower than 30 kDa molecular weight, were uniquely expressed in normal culture conditions. In contrast, several high molecular weight proteins (>55 kDa) were induced by acidic and low oxygen culture conditions. These findings not only provide new insights of association between morphological change and the virulence, but may also be useful in the design of immunological diagnosis and vaccines for M. abscessus infection.
Animals ; Electrophoresis ; Humans ; Hydrogen-Ion Concentration ; Immunologic Tests ; Macrophages ; Mice ; Molecular Weight ; Mycobacterium ; Oxygen ; Proteins ; Sprains and Strains ; Vaccines

Far-infrared rays (FIR) are known to have various effects on atoms and molecular structures within cells owing to their radiation and vibration frequencies. The present study examined the effects of FIR on gene expression related to glucose transport through microarray analysis in rat skeletal muscle cells, as well as on mitochondrial biogenesis, at high and low glucose conditions. FIR were emitted from a bio-active material coated fabric (BMCF). L6 cells were treated with 30% BMCF for 24 h in medium containing 25 or 5.5 mM glucose, and changes in the expression of glucose transporter genes were determined. The expression of GLUT3 (Slc2a3) increased 2.0-fold (p < 0.05) under 5.5 mM glucose and 30% BMCF. In addition, mitochondrial oxygen consumption and membrane potential (ΔΨm) increased 1.5- and 3.4-fold (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001), respectively, but no significant change in expression of Pgc-1a, a regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, was observed in 24 h. To analyze the relationship between GLUT3 expression and mitochondrial biogenesis under FIR, GLUT3 was down-modulated by siRNA for 72 h. As a result, the ΔΨm of the GLUT3 siRNA-treated cells increased 3.0-fold (p < 0.001), whereas that of the control group increased 4.6-fold (p < 0.001). Moreover, Pgc-1a expression increased upon 30% BMCF treatment for 72 h; an effect that was more pronounced in the presence of GLUT3. These results suggest that FIR may hold therapeutic potential for improving glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function in metabolic diseases associated with insufficient glucose supply, such as type 2 diabetes.

Far-infrared rays (FIR) are known to have various effects on atoms and molecular structures within cells owing to their radiation and vibration frequencies. The present study examined the effects of FIR on gene expression related to glucose transport through microarray analysis in rat skeletal muscle cells, as well as on mitochondrial biogenesis, at high and low glucose conditions. FIR were emitted from a bio-active material coated fabric (BMCF). L6 cells were treated with 30% BMCF for 24 h in medium containing 25 or 5.5 mM glucose, and changes in the expression of glucose transporter genes were determined. The expression of GLUT3 (Slc2a3) increased 2.0-fold (p < 0.05) under 5.5 mM glucose and 30% BMCF. In addition, mitochondrial oxygen consumption and membrane potential (ΔΨm) increased 1.5- and 3.4-fold (p < 0.05 and p < 0.001), respectively, but no significant change in expression of Pgc-1a, a regulator of mitochondrial biogenesis, was observed in 24 h. To analyze the relationship between GLUT3 expression and mitochondrial biogenesis under FIR, GLUT3 was down-modulated by siRNA for 72 h. As a result, the ΔΨm of the GLUT3 siRNA-treated cells increased 3.0-fold (p < 0.001), whereas that of the control group increased 4.6-fold (p < 0.001). Moreover, Pgc-1a expression increased upon 30% BMCF treatment for 72 h; an effect that was more pronounced in the presence of GLUT3. These results suggest that FIR may hold therapeutic potential for improving glucose metabolism and mitochondrial function in metabolic diseases associated with insufficient glucose supply, such as type 2 diabetes.