| 1. |
- Bauzá-Thorbrügge, Marco, et al.
(författare)
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NRF2 is essential for adaptative browning of white adipocytes.
- 2023
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Ingår i: Redox biology. - : Elsevier. - 2213-2317. ; 68
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- White adipose tissue browning, defined by accelerated mitochondrial metabolism and biogenesis, is considered a promising mean to treat or prevent obesity-associated metabolic disturbances. We hypothesize that redox stress acutely leads to increased production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which activate electrophile sensor nuclear factor erythroid 2-Related Factor 2 (NRF2) that over time results in an adaptive adipose tissue browning process. To test this, we have exploited adipocyte-specific NRF2 knockout mice and cultured adipocytes and analyzed time- and dose-dependent effect of NAC and lactate treatment on antioxidant expression and browning-like processes. We found that short-term antioxidant treatment with N-acetylcysteine (NAC) induced reductive stress as evident from increased intracellular NADH levels, increased ROS-production, reduced oxygen consumption rate (OCR), and increased NRF2 levels in white adipocytes. In contrast, and in line with our hypothesis, longer-term NAC treatment led to a NRF2-dependent browning response. Lactate treatment elicited similar effects as NAC, and mechanistically, these NRF2-dependent adipocyte browning responses in vitro were mediated by increased heme oxygenase-1 (HMOX1) activity. Moreover, this NRF2-HMOX1 axis was also important for β3-adrenergic receptor activation-induced adipose tissue browning in vivo. In conclusion, our findings show that administration of exogenous antioxidants can affect biological function not solely through ROS neutralization, but also through reductive stress. We also demonstrate that NRF2 is essential for white adipose tissue browning processes.
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| 2. |
- Paraschos, Georgios Filippos, et al.
(författare)
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Ordered magnetic fields around the 3C 84 central black hole
- 2024
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Ingår i: Astronomy and Astrophysics. - 0004-6361 .- 1432-0746. ; 682
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Context . 3C 84 is a nearby radio source with a complex total intensity structure, showing linear polarisation and spectral patterns. A detailed investigation of the central engine region necessitates the use of very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) above the hitherto available maximum frequency of 86 GHz. Aims. Using ultrahigh resolution VLBI observations at the currently highest available frequency of 228 GHz, we aim to perform a direct detection of compact structures and understand the physical conditions in the compact region of 3C 84. Methods . We used Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) 228 GHz observations and, given the limited (u, v)-coverage, applied geometric model fitting to the data. Furthermore, we employed quasi-simultaneously observed, ancillary multi-frequency VLBI data for the source in order to carry out a comprehensive analysis of the core structure. Results . We report the detection of a highly ordered, strong magnetic field around the central, supermassive black hole of 3C 84. The brightness temperature analysis suggests that the system is in equipartition. We also determined a turnover frequency of νm = (113 ± 4) GHz, a corresponding synchrotron self-absorbed magnetic field of BSSA = (2.9 ± 1.6) G, and an equipartition magnetic field of Beq = (5.2 ± 0.6) G. Three components are resolved with the highest fractional polarisation detected for this object (mnet = (17.0 ± 3.9)%). The positions of the components are compatible with those seen in low-frequency VLBI observations since 2017-2018. We report a steeply negative slope of the spectrum at 228 GHz. We used these findings to test existing models of jet formation, propagation, and Faraday rotation in 3C 84. Conclusions . The findings of our investigation into different flow geometries and black hole spins support an advection-dominated accretion flow in a magnetically arrested state around a rapidly rotating supermassive black hole as a model of the jet-launching system in the core of 3C 84. However, systematic uncertainties due to the limited (u, v)-coverage, however, cannot be ignored. Our upcoming work using new EHT data, which offer full imaging capabilities, will shed more light on the compact region of 3C 84.
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| 3. |
- Peris, Eduard, et al.
(författare)
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Antioxidant treatment induces reductive stress associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in adipocytes
- 2019
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 294:7, s. 2340-2352
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- beta-Adrenergic stimulation of adipose tissue increases mitochondrial density and activity (browning) that are associated with improved whole-body metabolism. Whereas chronically elevated levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in adipose tissue contribute to insulin resistance, transient ROS elevation stimulates physiological processes such as adipogenesis. Here, using a combination of biochemical and cell and molecular biology-based approaches, we studied whether ROS or antioxidant treatment affects beta 3-adrenergic receptor (beta 3-AR) stimulation-induced adipose tissue browning. We found that beta 3-AR stimulation increases ROS levels in cultured adipocytes, but, unexpectedly, pretreatment with different antioxidants (N-acetylcysteine, vitamin E, or GSH ethyl ester) did not prevent this ROS increase. Using fluorescent probes, we discovered that the antioxidant treatments instead enhanced beta 3-AR stimulation-induced mitochondrial ROS production. This pro-oxidant effect of antioxidants was, even in the absence of beta 3-AR stimulation, associated with decreased oxygen consumption and increased lactate production in adipocytes. We observed similar antioxidant effects in WT mice: N-acetylcysteine blunted beta 3-AR stimulation-induced browning of white adipose tissue and reduced mitochondrial activity in brown adipose tissue even in the absence of beta 3-AR stimulation. Furthermore, N-acetylcysteine increased the levels of peroxiredoxin 3 and superoxide dismutase 2 in adipose tissue, indicating increased mitochondrial oxidative stress. We interpret this negative impact of antioxidants on oxygen consumption in vitro and adipose tissue browning in vivo as essential adaptations that prevent a further increase in mitochondrial ROS production. In summary, these results suggest that chronic antioxidant supplementation can produce a paradoxical increase in oxidative stress associated with mitochondrial dysfunction in adipocytes.
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| 4. |
- Van Bavel, Jay J., et al.
(författare)
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National identity predicts public health support during a global pandemic
- 2022
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Ingår i: Nature Communications. - : Nature Portfolio. - 2041-1723. ; 13:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Understanding collective behaviour is an important aspect of managing the pandemic response. Here the authors show in a large global study that participants that reported identifying more strongly with their nation reported greater engagement in public health behaviours and support for public health policies in the context of the pandemic. Changing collective behaviour and supporting non-pharmaceutical interventions is an important component in mitigating virus transmission during a pandemic. In a large international collaboration (Study 1, N = 49,968 across 67 countries), we investigated self-reported factors associated with public health behaviours (e.g., spatial distancing and stricter hygiene) and endorsed public policy interventions (e.g., closing bars and restaurants) during the early stage of the COVID-19 pandemic (April-May 2020). Respondents who reported identifying more strongly with their nation consistently reported greater engagement in public health behaviours and support for public health policies. Results were similar for representative and non-representative national samples. Study 2 (N = 42 countries) conceptually replicated the central finding using aggregate indices of national identity (obtained using the World Values Survey) and a measure of actual behaviour change during the pandemic (obtained from Google mobility reports). Higher levels of national identification prior to the pandemic predicted lower mobility during the early stage of the pandemic (r = -0.40). We discuss the potential implications of links between national identity, leadership, and public health for managing COVID-19 and future pandemics.
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| 5. |
- Vilhelmsson Wesén, Emelie, 1989, et al.
(författare)
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Cell surface proteoglycan-mediated uptake and accumulation of the Alzheimer's disease peptide Aβ(1–42)
- 2018
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Ingår i: Biochimica et Biophysica Acta - Biomembranes. - : Elsevier BV. - 1879-2642 .- 0005-2736. ; 1860:11, s. 2204-2214
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Proteoglycans (PGs) have been found in Alzheimer's disease amyloid-β(Aβ) plaques and their glycosaminoglycan chains reportedly influence Aβ aggregation, neurotoxicity and intracellular accumulation in cell and animal models, but their exact pathophysiological role(s) remain unclear. We have studied the cellular uptake of fluorescently labelled Aβ(1–42) and Aβ(1–40) peptides in normal CHO cells (K1) and the mutant cell line (pgsA-745) which lacks all protein-attached heparan and chondroitin sulfate chains. After 24 h of incubation, CHO-K1 accumulates more Aβ(1–42) and Aβ(1–40) compared with CHO-pgsA-745, consistent with the suggested role of PGs in Aβ uptake. However, after short incubation times (≤3 h) there was no difference; moreover, the time evolution of Aβ(1–42) accumulation in CHO-K1 followed an unusual sigmoidal-like trend, indicating a possible involvement of PG-mediated peptide aggregation in Aβ endocytosis. Neither Aβ(1–42) nor Aβ(1–40) could stimulate uptake of a 10 kDa dextran (a general endocytosis marker) suggesting that Aβ-induced upregulation of endocytosis does not occur. CHO-K1 cells contained a higher number of Aβ(1–42)-positive vesicles, but the intensity difference per vesicle was only marginal suggesting that the superior accumulation of Aβ(1–42) stems from a higher number of endocytic events. FRET imaging support that intracellular Aβ(1–42) is aggregated in both cell types. We also report that CHO-pgsA-745 cells perform less endocytosis than CHO-K1 and, albeit this does not explain their difference in Aβ internalisation, we discuss a general method for data compensation. Altogether, this study contributes new insights into the mechanisms of PG-mediated Aβ uptake that may be relevant for our understanding of their role in AD pathology.
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| 6. |
- Zhang, Xiaolu, 1983, et al.
(författare)
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Correlation between Cellular Uptake and Cytotoxicity of Fragmented α-Synuclein Amyloid Fibrils Suggests Intracellular Basis for Toxicity
- 2020
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Ingår i: ACS Chemical Neuroscience. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1948-7193. ; 11:3, s. 233-241
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aggregation and intracellular deposition of the protein α-synuclein is an underlying characteristic of Parkinson's disease. α-Synuclein assemblies also undergo cell-cell spreading, facilitating propagation of their cellular pathology. Understanding how cellular interactions and uptake of extracellular α-synuclein assemblies depend on their physical attributes is therefore important. We prepared fragmented fluorescently labeled α-synuclein amyloid fibrils of different average lengths (∼80 nm to >1 μm) and compared their interactions with SH-SY5Y cells. We report that fibrils of all lengths, but not monomers, bind avidly to the cell surface. Their uptake is inversely dependent on their average size, occurs via a heparan sulfate dependent endocytic route, and appears to have a size cutoff of ∼400 nm. The uptake of α-synuclein fibrils, but not monomers, correlates with their cytotoxicity as measured by reduction in metabolic activity, strongly suggesting an intracellular basis for α-synuclein fibril toxicity, likely involving endolysosomes.
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| 7. |
- Brannmark, C., et al.
(författare)
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Increased Adipogenesis of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells on Polycaprolactone Fiber Matrices
- 2014
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Ingår i: PLoS ONE. - : Public Library of Science (PLoS). - 1932-6203 .- 1932-6203. ; 9:11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- With accelerating rates of obesity and type 2 diabetes world-wide, interest in studying the adipocyte and adipose tissue is increasing. Human adipose derived stem cells differentiated to adipocytes in vitro - are frequently used as a model system for white adipocytes, as most of their pathways and functions resemble mature adipocytes in vivo. However, these cells are not completely like in vivo mature adipocytes. Hosting the cells in amore physiologically relevant environment compared to conventional two-dimensional cell culturing on plastic surfaces, can produce spatial cues that drive the cells towards a more mature state. We investigated the adipogenesis of adipose derived stem cells on electro spun polycaprolactone matrices and compared functionality to conventional two-dimensional cultures as well as to human primary mature adipocytes. To assess the degree of adipogenesis we measured cellular glucose-uptake and lipolysis and used a range of different methods to evaluate lipid accumulation. We compared the averaged results from a whole population with the single cell characteristics - studied by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy - to gain a comprehensive picture of the cell phenotypes. In adipose derived stem cells differentiated on a polycaprolactone-fiber matrix; an increased sensitivity in insulin-stimulated glucose uptake was detected when cells were grown on either aligned or random matrices. Furthermore, comparing differentiation of adipose derived stem cells on aligned polycaprolactone-fiber matrixes, to those differentiated in two-dimensional cultures showed, an increase in the cellular lipid accumulation, and hormone sensitive lipase content. In conclusion, we propose an adipocyte cell model created by differentiation of adipose derived stem cells on aligned polycaprolactone-fiber matrices which demonstrates increased maturity, compared to 2D cultured cells.
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| 8. |
- Brännmark, Cecilia, et al.
(författare)
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Mathematical modeling of white adipocyte exocytosis predicts adiponectin secretion and quantifies the rates of vesicle exo- and endocytosis
- 2017
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Ingår i: Journal of Biological Chemistry. - : AMER SOC BIOCHEMISTRY MOLECULAR BIOLOGY INC. - 0021-9258 .- 1083-351X. ; 292:49, s. 20032-20043
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Adiponectin is a hormone secreted from white adipocytes and takes part in the regulation of several metabolic processes. Although the pathophysiological importance of adiponectin has been thoroughly investigated, the mechanisms controlling its release are only partly understood. We have recently shown that adiponectin is secreted via regulated exocytosis of adiponectin-containing vesicles, that adiponectin exocytosis is stimulated by cAMP-dependent mechanisms, and that Ca2+ and ATP augment the cAMP-triggered secretion. However, much remains to be discovered regarding the molecular and cellular regulation of adiponectin release. Here, we have used mathematical modeling to extract detailed information contained within our previously obtained high-resolution patch-clamp time-resolved capacitance recordings to produce the first model of adiponectin exocytosis/secretion that combines all mechanistic knowledge deduced from electrophysiological experimental series. This model demonstrates that our previous understanding of the role of intracellular ATP in the control of adiponectin exocytosis needs to be revised to include an additional ATP-dependent step. Validation of the model by introduction of data of secreted adiponectin yielded a very close resemblance between the simulations and experimental results. Moreover, we could show that Ca2+-dependent adiponectin endocytosis contributes to the measured capacitance signal, and we were able to predict the contribution of endocytosis to the measured exocytotic rate under different experimental conditions. In conclusion, using mathematical modeling of published and newly generated data, we have obtained estimates of adiponectin exo- and endocytosis rates, and we have predicted adiponectin secretion. We believe that our model should have multiple applications in the study of metabolic processes and hormonal control thereof.
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| 9. |
- Daemen, Sabine, et al.
(författare)
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Label-free CARS microscopy reveals similar triacylglycerol acyl chain length and saturation in myocellular lipid droplets of athletes and individuals with type 2 diabetes
- 2020
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Ingår i: Diabetologia. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1432-0428 .- 0012-186X. ; 63:12, s. 2654-2664
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Aims/hypothesis: Intramyocellular lipid (IMCL) content associates with development of insulin resistance, albeit not in insulinsensitive endurance-trained athletes (trained). Qualitative and spatial differences in muscle lipid composition may underlie this so-called athlete’s paradox. Here we studied triacylglycerol (TAG) composition of individual myocellular lipid droplets (LDs) in trained individuals and individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Methods: Trained (˙V O2max 71.0 ± 1.6 ml O2 [kg lean body mass (LBM)]−1 min−1), normoglycaemic (fasting glucose 5.1 ± 0.1 mmol/l) individuals and untrained (V O2max 36.8 ± 1.5 ml O2 [kg LBM]−1 min−1) individuals with type 2 diabetes (fasting glucose 7.4 ± 0.5 mmol/l), with similar IMCL content (3.5 ± 0.7% vs 2.5 ± 0.3%, p = 0.241), but at opposite ends of the insulin sensitivity spectrum(glucose infusion rate 93.8 ± 6.6 vs 25.7 ± 5.3 μmol [kg LBM]−1 min−1 for trained individuals and those with type 2 diabetes, respectively) were included from our database in the present study. We applied in situ label-free broadband coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy to sections from skeletal muscle biopsies to measure TAG acyl chain length and saturation of myocellular LDs. This approach uniquely permits examination of individual LDs in their native environment, in a fibre-type-specific manner, taking into account LD size and subcellular location. Results: Despite a significant difference in insulin sensitivity, we observed remarkably similar acyl chain length and saturation in trained and type 2 diabetic individuals (chain length: 18.12 ± 0.61 vs 18.36 ± 0.43 number of carbons; saturation: 0.37 ± 0.05 vs 0.38 ± 0.06 number of C=C bonds). Longer acyl chains or higher saturation (lower C=C number) could be detected in subpopulations of LDs, i.e. large LDs (chain length: 18.11 ± 0.48 vs 18.63 ± 0.57 carbon number) and subsarcolemmal LDs (saturation: 0.34 ± 0.02 vs 0.36 ± 0.04 C=C number), which are more abundant in individuals with type 2 diabetes. Conclusions/interpretation: In contrast to reports of profound differences in the lipid composition of lipids extracted from skeletal muscle from trained and type 2 diabetic individuals, our in situ, LD-specific approach detected only modest differences in TAG composition in LD subpopulations, which were dependent on LD size and subcellular location. If, and to what extent, these modest differences can impact insulin sensitivity remains to be elucidated.
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| 10. |
- Feinberg, Alexandra J., et al.
(författare)
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X-ray diffractive imaging of highly ionized helium nanodroplets
- 2022
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Ingår i: Physical Review Research. - 2643-1564. ; 4:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Finding the lowest energy configuration of N unit charges on a sphere, known as Thomson's problem, is a long-standing query which has only been studied via numerical simulations. We present its physical realization using multiply charged He nanodroplets. The charge positions are determined by x-ray coherent diffractive imaging with Xe as a contrast agent. In neutral droplets, filaments resulting from Xe atoms condensing on quantum vortices are observed. Unique to charged droplets, however, Xe clusters that condense on charges are distributed on the surface in lattice-like structures, introducing He droplets as experimental model systems for the study of Thomson's problem.
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| 11. |
- Grunberg, J. R., et al.
(författare)
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CCN5/WISP2 and metabolic diseases
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Cell Communication and Signaling. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 1873-9601 .- 1873-961X. ; 12:1, s. 309-318
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Obesity and type 2 diabetes increase worldwide at an epidemic rate. It is expected that by the year 2030 around 500 million people will have diabetes; predominantly type 2 diabetes. The CCN family of proteins has become of interest in both metabolic and other common human diseases because of their effects on mesenchymal stem cell (MSCs) proliferation and differentiation as well as being important regulators of fibrosis. We here review current knowledge of the WNT1 inducible signaling pathway protein 2 (CCN5/WISP2). It has been shown to be an important regulator of both these processes through effects on both the canonical WNT and the TGF ss pathways. It is also under normal regulation by the adipogenic commitment factor BMP4, in contrast to conventional canonical WNT ligands, and allows MSCs to undergo normal adipose cell differentiation. CCN5/WISP2 is highly expressed in, and secreted by, MSCs and is an important regulator of MSCs growth. In a transgenic mouse model overexpressing CCN5/WISP2 in the adipose tissue, we have shown that it is secreted and circulating in the blood, the mice develop hypercellular white and brown adipose tissue, have increased lean body mass and enlarged hypercellular hearts. Obese transgenic mice had improved insulin sensitivity. Interestingly, the anti-fibrotic effect of CCN5/WISP2 is protective against heart failure by inhibition of the TGF ss pathway. Understanding how CCN5/WISP2 is regulated and signals is important and may be useful for developing new treatment strategies in obesity and metabolic diseases and it can also be a target in regenerative medicine.
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| 12. |
- Lau, Hang Kuen, et al.
(författare)
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Microstructured Elastomer-PEG Hydrogels via Kinetic Capture of Aqueous Liquid–Liquid Phase Separation
- 2018
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Ingår i: Advanced Science. - : Wiley. - 2198-3844 .- 2198-3844. ; 5:6
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Heterogeneous hydrogels with desired matrix complexity are studied for a variety of biomimetic materials. Despite the range of such microstructured materials described, few methods permit independent control over microstructure and microscale mechanics by precisely controlled, single-step processing methods. Here, a phototriggered crosslinking methodology that traps microstructures in liquid–liquid phase-separated solutions of a highly elastomeric resilin-like polypeptide (RLP) and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) is reported. RLP-rich domains of various diameters can be trapped in a PEG continuous phase, with the kinetics of domain maturation dependent on the degree of acrylation. The chemical composition of both hydrogel phases over time is assessed via in situ hyperspectral coherent Raman microscopy, with equilibrium concentrations consistent with the compositions derived from NMR-measured coexistence curves. Atomic force microscopy reveals that the local mechanical properties of the two phases evolve over time, even as the bulk modulus of the material remains constant, showing that the strategy permits control of mechanical properties on micrometer length scales, of relevance in generating mechanically robust materials for a range of applications. As one example, the successful encapsulation, localization, and survival of primary cells are demonstrated and suggest the potential application of phase-separated RLP-PEG hydrogels in regenerative medicine applications.
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| 13. |
- Paul, Alexandra, 1988
(författare)
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Adipose Tissue Heterogeneity - Development and Application of Nonlinear Microscopy Methods
- 2018
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- Although the negative health impacts of obesity have been well documented, the number of overweight or obese patients has and is predicted to continue rising. One of the causal factors of obesity is a constant positive energy balance mainly from excessively high caloric intake from food compared with limited physical activity (caloric expenditure). While this basic concept is well understood, the specific changes that obesity invokes within the body have not been fully uncovered and thus a molecular reversal of obesity has not been achieved to date. Along the way to identify a pharmaceutical target, a new type of fatty tissue, brown adipose tissue (BAT), has moved into the focus with potential therapeutic implications. In contrast to white adipose tissue (WAT) that serves as long-term fat storage in the form of neutral lipids, BAT uses these molecules as fuel to perform non-shivering thermogenesis, a process seen most commonly in hibernating animals and infants, and used to keep the body core temperature stable. Since BAT function is very different from WAT function, the two tissue types are often studied in conjunction in order to better identify the characteristics and the possibility to increase BAT activity and mass in obese adults (as a way to increase “parasympathetic” caloric expenditure). This thesis work aims to investigate adipose tissue (AT) physiology on different levels: from interactions of isolated adipose-derived stem cells (ADSC) with matrices to the function of AT in mice. Special focus is directed towards the molecules at the center of adipose tissue physiology: triacylglycerols (TAGs). These are often neglected during analysis due to the difficulty to study them in a cellular context. Classical methods, like gas chromatography, usually rely on extraction of all lipids from a tissue depot requiring extensive sample preparation. Magnetic resonance imaging or matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization followed by mass spectrometry imaging can be used to visualize lipids in their natural setting but do not offer high enough resolution or require extensive sample preparation. Thus, in this work, I focused on using a label-free chemical imaging approach called coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy to study TAGs in situ at increasing levels of biological complexity. This method requires almost no sample preparation and can visualize sub-micrometer-sized TAG storage depots based on their intrinsic chemistry. First, CARS microscopy was used to follow ADSCs during the early stages of attachment and interaction with an extra cellular matrix (ECM); then CARS was employed to follow lipid accumulation during adipogenic differentiation to study how the ECM structure affects that process. Next, mature adipocytes were studied in ex vivo tissue sections. During this study mitochondrial activity was also investigated. In the following studies, not only the volume/number of lipid depots was of interest but also their contents. Therefore, we extended the CARS imaging with a spectral dimension, developing a new method to generate maps of TAG chain length and saturation, which were then be employed to see how high fat diet affects the lipids in BAT and WAT.
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| 14. |
- Paul, Alexandra, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Biomechanical Dependence of SARS-CoV-2 Infections
- 2022
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Bio Materials. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 2576-6422. ; 5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Older people have been disproportionately vulnerable to the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, with an increased risk of severe complications and death compared to other age groups. A mix of underlying factors has been speculated to give rise to this differential infection outcome including changes in lung physiology, weakened immunity, and severe immune response. Our study focuses on the impact of biomechanical changes in lungs that occur as individuals age, that is, the stiffening of the lung parenchyma and increased matrix fiber density. We used hydrogels with an elastic modulus of 0.2 and 50 kPa and conventional tissue culture surfaces to investigate how infection rate changes with parenchymal tissue stiffness in lung epithelial cells challenged with SARS-CoV-2 Spike (S) protein pseudotyped lentiviruses. Further, we employed electrospun fiber matrices to isolate the effect of matrix density. Given the recent data highlighting the importance of alternative virulent strains, we included both the native strain identified in early 2020 and an early S protein variant (D614G) that was shown to increase the viral infectivity markedly. Our results show that cells on softer and sparser scaffolds, closer resembling younger lungs, exhibit higher infection rates by the WT and D614G variant. This suggests that natural changes in lung biomechanics do not increase the propensity for SARS-CoV-2 infection and that other factors, such as a weaker immune system, may contribute to increased disease burden in the elderly.
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| 15. |
- Paul, Alexandra, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Comparing lipid remodeling of brown adipose tissue, white adipose tissue, and liver after one-week high fat diet intervention with quantitative Raman microscopy
- 2023
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Ingår i: Journal of Cellular Biochemistry. - : Wiley. - 0730-2312 .- 1097-4644. ; 124:3, s. 382-395
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Brown adipose tissue (BAT) consists of highly metabolically active adipocytes that catabolize nutrients to produce heat. Playing an active role in triacylglycerol (TAG) clearance, research has shown that dietary fatty acids can modulate the TAG chemistry deposition in BAT after weeks-long dietary intervention, similar to what has been shown in white adipose tissue (WAT). Our objective was to compare the influence of sustained, nonchronic dietary intervention (a 1-week interval) on WAT and interscapular BAT lipid metabolism and deposition in situ. We use quantitative, label-free chemical microscopy to show that 1 week of high fat diet (HFD) intervention results in dramatically larger lipid droplet (LD) growth in BAT (and liver) compared to LD growth in inguinal WAT (IWAT). Moreover, BAT showed lipid remodeling as increased unsaturated TAGs in LDs, resembling the dietary lipid composition, while WAT (and liver) did not show lipid remodeling on this time scale. Concurrently, expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, particularly desaturases, was reduced in BAT and liver from HFD-fed mice after 1 week. Our data show that BAT lipid chemistry remodels exceptionally fast to dietary lipid intervention compared WAT, which further points towards a role in TAG clearance.
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| 16. |
- Paul, Alexandra, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Effect of ambient temperature on respiratory tract cells exposed to SARS-CoV-2 viral mimicking nanospheres - An experimental study
- 2021
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Ingår i: Biointerphases. - : American Vacuum Society. - 1559-4106 .- 1934-8630. ; 16:1
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The novel coronavirus caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has reached more than 160 countries and has been declared a pandemic. SARS-CoV-2 infects host cells by binding to the angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE-2) surface receptor via the spike (S) receptor-binding protein (RBD) on the virus envelope. Global data on a similar infectious disease spread by SARS-CoV-1 in 2002 indicated improved stability of the virus at lower temperatures facilitating its high transmission in the community during colder months (December–February). Seasonal viral transmissions are strongly modulated by temperatures, which can impact viral trafficking into host cells; however, an experimental study of temperature-dependent activity of SARS-CoV-2 is still lacking. We mimicked SARS-CoV-2 with polymer beads coated with the SARS-CoV-2 S protein to study the effect of seasonal temperatures on the binding of virus-mimicking nanospheres to lung epithelia. The presence of the S protein RBD on nanosphere surfaces led to binding by Calu-3 airway epithelial cells via the ACE-2 receptor. Calu-3 and control fibroblast cells with S-RBD-coated nanospheres were incubated at 33 and 37 °C to mimic temperature fluctuations in the host respiratory tract, and we found no temperature dependence in contrast to nonspecific binding of bovine serum ablumin-coated nanospheres. Moreover, the ambient temperature changes from 4 to 40 °C had no effect on S-RBD-ACE-2 ligand-receptor binding and minimal effect on the S-RBD protein structure (up to 40 °C), though protein denaturing occurred at 51 °C. Our results suggest that ambient temperatures from 4 to 40 °C have little effect on the SARS-CoV-2-ACE-2 interaction in agreement with the infection data currently reported.
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| 17. |
- Paul, Alexandra, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Micro- and nano-patterned elastin-like polypeptide hydrogels for stem cell culture
- 2017
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Ingår i: Soft Matter. - : Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). - 1744-6848 .- 1744-683X. ; 13:34, s. 5665-5675
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- We show that submicron-sized patterns can be imprinted into soft, recombinant-engineered proteinhydrogels (here elastin-like proteins, ELP) by transferring wavy patterns from polydimethylsiloxane(PDMS) molds. The high-precision topographical tunability of the relatively stiff PDMS is translated to abio-responsive, soft material, enabling topographical cell response studies at elastic moduli matchingthose of tissues. Aligned and unaligned wavy patterns with mold periodicities of 0.24–4.54 mm wereimprinted and characterized by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering and atomic force microscopy.The pattern was successfully transferred down to 0.37 mm periodicity (width in ELP: 250 50 nm,height: 70 40 nm). The limit was set by inherent protein assemblies (diameter: 124–180 nm) thatformed due to lower critical solution temperature behavior of the ELP during molding. The width/heightof the ELP ridges depended on the degree of hydration; from complete dehydration to full hydration,ELP ridge width ranged from 79 9% to 150 40% of the mold width. The surface of the ridged ELPfeatured densely packed protein aggregates that were larger in size than those observed in bulk/flat ELP.Adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) oriented along hydrated aligned patterns with periodicities Z0.60 mm(height Z170 100 nm), while random orientation was observed for smaller distances/amplitudes, as wellas flat and unaligned wavy ELP surfaces. Hence, micro-molding of ELP is a promising approach to createtissue-mimicking, hierarchical architectures composed of tunable micron-sized structures with nano-sizedprotein aggregates, which opens the way for orthogonal screening of cell responses to topography andcell-adhesion ligands at relevant elastic moduli.
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| 18. |
- Paul, Alexandra, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Molecular Microscopy of Oil Body and Lipid Droplet Chemistry In Situ with Physiologically-Relevant Readouts
- 2020
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Ingår i: Biophysical Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 118:3, s. 468A-468A
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Konferensbidrag (refereegranskat)abstract
- Spatial heterogeneity at the molecular scale is a ubiquitous feature of all biological tissues, which is fundamentally linked to their native functions and to pathology. Probing the local chemistry of complex biological tissues requires the development and application of imaging tools that can identify the intrinsic molecular features in a sample without sacrificing high spatial resolution. In this talk, I will describe our efforts to tackle this challenge for measuring lipid inclusion chemistry and morphology in situ. We have developed nonlinear label-free microscopy and associated analytical tools to determine the biochemistry of lipid droplets and oil bodies with high spatial resolution in a variety of samples. Importantly, our method yields physiologically-relevant quantities (chain length and saturation) as opposed to physical chemical ratios. I will show how we have used this ability to map how lipid droplet chemical composition in brown and white adipose tissue adapts to high fat dietary intervention. Going forward, we want to expand the disease pathologies studied and I will present early results on our work on lipid droplets in neurological diseases.
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| 19. |
- Paul, Alexandra, 1988, et al.
(författare)
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Quantitative Mapping of Triacylglycerol Chain Length and Saturation Using Broadband CARS Microscopy
- 2019
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Ingår i: Biophysical Journal. - : Elsevier BV. - 0006-3495 .- 1542-0086. ; 116:12, s. 2346-2355
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Lipid droplets (LDs), present in many cell types, are highly dynamic organelles that store neutral lipids, primarily triacylglycerols (TAGs). With the discovery of new LD functions (e.g., in immune response, protein clearage, and occurrence with disease), new methods to study LD chemical composition in situ are necessary. We present an approach for in situ, quantitative TAG analysis using label-free, coherent Raman microscopy that allows deciphering LD TAG composition in different biochemically complex samples with submicrometer spatial resolution. Employing a set of standard TAGs, we generate a spectral training matrix capturing the variation caused in Raman-like spectra by TAG backbone, chain length, and number of double bonds per chain, as well as the presence of proteins or other diluting molecules. Comparing our fitting approach to gas chromatography measurements for mixtures of standard TAGs and food oils, we find the root mean-square error for the prediction of TAG chemistry to be 0.69 CH2 and 0.15 #C=C. When progressing to more complex samples such as oil emulsions and LDs in various eukaryotic cells, we find good agreement with bulk gas chromatography measurements. For differentiated adipocytes, we find a significant increase in the number of double bonds in small LDs (below 2 μm in diameter) compared to large LDs (above 2 μm in diameter). Coupled with a relatively limited sample preparation requirement, this approach should enable rapid and accurate TAG LD analysis for a variety of cell biology and technological applications.
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| 20. |
- Sütt, Silva, et al.
(författare)
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STK25 regulates oxidative capacity and metabolic efficiency in adipose tissue
- 2018
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Ingår i: Journal of Endocrinology. - 1479-6805 .- 0022-0795. ; 238:3, s. 187-202
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Whole-body energy homeostasis at over-nutrition critically depends on how well adipose tissue remodels in response to excess calories. We recently identified serine/ threonine protein kinase (STK)25 as a critical regulator of ectopic lipid storage in non-adipose tissue and systemic insulin resistance in the context of nutritional stress. Here, we investigated the role of STK25 in regulation of adipose tissue dysfunction in mice challenged with a high-fat diet. We found that overexpression of STK25 in high-fat-fed mice resulted in impaired mitochondrial function and aggravated hypertrophy, inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis in adipose depots. Reciprocally, Stk25-knockout mice displayed improved mitochondrial function and were protected against diet-induced excessive fat storage, meta-inflammation and fibrosis in brown and white adipose tissues. Furthermore, in rodent HIB-1B cell line, STK25 depletion resulted in enhanced mitochondrial activity and consequently, reduced lipid droplet size, demonstrating an autonomous action for STK25 within adipocytes. In summary, we provide the first evidence for a key function of STK25 in controlling the metabolic balance of lipid utilization vs lipid storage in brown and white adipose depots, suggesting that repression of STK25 activity offers a potential strategy for establishing healthier adipose tissue in the context of chronic exposure to dietary lipids.
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| 21. |
- Wang, H. Y., et al.
(författare)
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Covalently Adaptable Elastin-Like Protein-Hyaluronic Acid (ELP-HA) Hybrid Hydrogels with Secondary Thermoresponsive Crosslinking for Injectable Stem Cell Delivery
- 2017
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Ingår i: Advanced Materials for Optics and Electronics. - : Wiley. - 1616-301X .- 1616-3028. ; 27:28
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Shear-thinning, self-healing hydrogels are promising vehicles for therapeutic cargo delivery due to their ability to be injected using minimally invasive surgical procedures. An injectable hydrogel using a novel combination of dynamic covalent crosslinking with thermoresponsive engineered proteins is presented. Ex situ at room temperature, rapid gelation occurs through dynamic covalent hydrazone bonds by simply mixing two components: hydrazine-modified elastin-like protein (ELP) and aldehyde-modified hyaluronic acid. This hydrogel provides significant mechanical protection to encapsulated human mesenchymal stem cells during syringe needle injection and rapidly recovers after injection to retain the cells homogeneously within a 3D environment. In situ, the ELP undergoes a thermal phase transition, as confirmed by coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering microscopy observation of dense ELP thermal aggregates. The formation of the secondary network reinforces the hydrogel and results in a tenfold slower erosion rate compared to a control hydrogel without secondary thermal crosslinking. This improved structural integrity enables cell culture for three weeks postinjection, and encapsulated cells maintain their ability to differentiate into multiple lineages, including chondrogenic, adipogenic, and osteogenic cell types. Together, these data demonstrate the promising potential of ELP-HA hydrogels for injectable stem cell transplantation and tissue regeneration.
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| 22. |
- Wang, H. Y., et al.
(författare)
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Hybrid Elastin-like Polypeptide-Polyethylene Glycol (ELP-PEG) Hydrogels with Improved Transparency and Independent Control of Matrix Mechanics and Cell Ligand Density
- 2014
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Ingår i: Biomacromolecules. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1525-7797 .- 1526-4602. ; 15:9, s. 3421-3428
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Hydrogels have been developed as extracellular matrix (ECM) mimics both for therapeutic applications and basic biological studies. In particular, elastin-like polypeptide (ELP) hydrogels, which can be tuned to mimic several biochemical and physical characteristics of native ECM, have been constructed to encapsulate various types of cells to create in vitro mimics of in vivo tissues. However, ELP hydrogels become opaque at body temperature because of ELP's lower critical solution temperature behavior. This opacity obstructs light-based observation of the morphology and behavior of encapsulated cells. In order to improve the transparency of ELP hydrogels for better imaging, we have designed a hybrid ELP-polyethylene glycol (PEG) hydrogel system that rapidly cross-links with tris(hydroxymethyl) phosphine (THP) in aqueous solution via Mannich-type condensation. As expected, addition of the hydrophilic PEG component significantly improves the light transmittance. Coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering (CARS) microscopy reveals that the hybrid ELP-PEG hydrogels have smaller hydrophobic ELP aggregates at 37 C. Importantly, this hydrogel platform enables independent tuning of adhesion ligand density and matrix stiffness, which is desirable for studies of cell matrix interactions. Human fibroblasts encapsulated in these hydrogels show high viability (>98%) after 7 days of culture. High-resolution confocal microscopy of encapsulated fibroblasts reveals that the cells adopt a more spread morphology in response to higher RGD ligand concentrations and softer gel mechanics.
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| 23. |
- Wang, H. Y., et al.
(författare)
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Tunable Control of Hydrogel Microstructure by Kinetic Competition between Self-Assembly and Crosslinking of Elastin-like Proteins
- 2018
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Ingår i: ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces. - : American Chemical Society (ACS). - 1944-8252 .- 1944-8244. ; 10:26, s. 21808-21815
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- The fabrication of three dimensional "bead-string" microstructured hydrogels is rationally achieved by controlling the relative timing of chemical crosslinking and physical self-assembly processes of an engineered protein. To demonstrate this strategy, an elastin-like protein (ELP) amino acid sequence was selected to enable site-specific chemical crosslinking and thermoresponsive physical self-assembly. This method allows the tuning of material microstructures without altering the ELP amino acid sequence but simply through controlling the chemical crosslinking extent before the thermally induced, physical coacervation of ELP. A loosely crosslinked network enables ELP to have greater chain mobility, resulting in phase segregation into larger beads. By contrast, a network with higher crosslinking density has restricted ELP chain mobility, resulting in more localized self-assembly into smaller beads. As a proof of concept application for this facile assembly process, we demonstrate one-pot, simultaneous, dual encapsulation of hydrophilic and hydrophobic model drugs within the microstructured hydrogel and differential release rates of the two drugs from the material.
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