| 1. |
- Zhang, Y. S., et al.
(author)
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Multisensor-integrated organs-on-chips platform for automated and continual in situ monitoring of organoid behaviors
- 2017
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : National Academy of Sciences. - 0027-8424 .- 1091-6490. ; 114:12, s. E2293-E2302
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Organ-on-a-chip systems areminiaturizedmicrofluidic 3D human tissue and organ models designed to recapitulate the important biological and physiological parameters of their in vivo counterparts. They have recently emerged as a viable platform for personalized medicine and drug screening. These in vitro models, featuring biomimetic compositions, architectures, and functions, are expected to replace the conventional planar, static cell cultures and bridge the gap between the currently used preclinical animal models and the human body. Multiple organoid models may be further connected together through the microfluidics in a similar manner in which they are arranged in vivo, providing the capability to analyze multiorgan interactions. Although a wide variety of human organ-on-a-chip models have been created, there are limited efforts on the integration of multisensor systems. However, in situ continual measuring is critical in precise assessment of the microenvironment parameters and the dynamic responses of the organs to pharmaceutical compounds over extended periods of time. In addition, automated and noninvasive capability is strongly desired for long-term monitoring. Here, we report a fully integrated modular physical, biochemical, and optical sensing platform through a fluidics-routing breadboard, which operates organ-on-a-chip units in a continual, dynamic, and automated manner.We believe that this platform technology has paved a potential avenue to promote the performance of current organ-on-a-chip models in drug screening by integrating a multitude of real-time sensors to achieve automated in situ monitoring of biophysical and biochemical parameters.
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| 2. |
- Retamozo, S., et al.
(author)
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Systemic manifestations of primary Sjogren's syndrome out of the ESSDAI classification : prevalence and clinical relevance in a large international, multi-ethnic cohort of patients
- 2019
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In: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. - : CLINICAL & EXPER RHEUMATOLOGY. - 0392-856X .- 1593-098X. ; 71
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objectives: To analyse the frequency and characterise the systemic presentation of primary Sjogren's syndrome (SS) out of the ESSDAI classification in a large international, multi-ethnic cohort of patients. Methods: The Big Data Sjogren Project Consortium is an international, multicentre registry based on world-wide data-sharing and cooperative merging of pre-existing clinical SS databases from leading centres in clinical research in SS from the five continents. A list of 26 organ-by-organ systemic features not currently included in the ESSDAI classification was defined according to previous studies; these features were retrospectively recorded. Results: Information about non-ESSDAI features was available in 6331 patients [5,917 female, mean age at diagnosis 52 years, mainly White (86.3%)]. A total of 1641 (26%) patients had at least one of the ESSDAI systemic features. Cardiovascular manifestations were the most frequent organ-specific group of non-ESSDAI features reported in our patients (17% of the total cohort), with Raynaud's phenomenon being reported in 15%. Patients with systemic disease due to non-ESSDAI features had a lower frequency of dry mouth (90.7% vs. 94.1%, p<0.001) and positive minor salivary gland biopsy (86.7% vs. 89%, p=0.033), a higher frequency of anti-Ro/SSA (74.7% vs. 68.7%, p<0.001), anti-La/SSB antibodies (44.5% vs. 40.4%, p=0.004), ANA (82.7% vs. 79.5%, p=0.006), low C3 levels (17.4% vs. 9.7%, p<0.001), low C4 levels (14.4% vs. 9.6%, p<0.001), and positive serum cryoglobulins (8.6% vs. 5.5%, p=0.001). Systemic activity measured by the ESSDAI, clinESSDAI and DAS was higher in patients with systemic disease out of the ESSDAI in comparison with those without these features (p<0.001 for all comparisons). Conclusions: More than a quarter of patients with primary SS may have systemic manifestations not currently included in the ESSDAI classification, with a wide variety of cardiovascular, digestive, pulmonary, neurological, ocular, ENT (ear, nose, and throat), cutaneous and urological features that increase the scope of the systemic phenotype of the disease. However, the individual frequency of each of these non-ESSDAI features was very low, except for Raynaud's phenomenon.
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| 3. |
- Brito-Zeron, P., et al.
(author)
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How immunological profile drives clinical phenotype of primary Sjögren's syndrome at diagnosis : analysis of 10,500 patients (Sjögren Big Data Project)
- 2018
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In: Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology. - : CLINICAL & EXPER RHEUMATOLOGY. - 0392-856X .- 1593-098X. ; 36:3, s. S102-S112
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective: To evaluate the influence of the main immunological markers on the disease phenotype at diagnosis in a large international cohort of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome (SjS).Methods: The Big Data Sjogren Project Consortium is an international, multicentre registry created in 2014. As a first step, baseline clinical information from leading centres on clinical research in SjS of the 5 continents was collected. The centres shared a harmonised data architecture and conducted cooperative online efforts in order to refine collected data under the coordination of a big data statistical team. Inclusion criteria were the fulfillment of the 2002 classification criteria. Immunological tests were carried out using standard commercial assays.Results: By January 2018, the participant centres had included 10,500 valid patients from 22 countries. The cohort included 9,806 (93%) women and 694 (7%) men, with a mean age at diagnosis of primary SjS of 53 years, mainly White (78%) and included from European countries (71%). The frequency of positive immunological markers at diagnosis was 79.3% for ANA, 73.2% for anti-Ro, 48.6% for RF, 45.1% for anti-La, 13.4% for low C3 levels, 14.5% for low C4 levels and 7.3% for cryoglobulins. Positive autoantibodies (ANA, Ro, La) correlated with a positive result in salivary gland biopsy, while hypocomplementaemia and especially cryoglobulinaemia correlated with systemic activity (mean ESSDAI score of 17.7 for ctyoglobulins, 11.3 for low C3 and 9.2 for low C4, in comparison with 3.8 for negative markers). The immunological markers with a great number of statistically-significant associations (p<0.001) in the organ-by-organ ESSDAI evaluation were cryoglobulins (9 domains), low C3 (8 domains), anti-La (7 domains) and low C4 (6 domains).Conclusion: We confirm the strong influence of immunological markers on the phenotype of primary SjS at diagnosis in the largest multi-ethnic international cohort ever analysed, with a greater influence for cryoglobulinaemic-related markers in comparison with Ro/La autoantibodies and ANA. Immunological patterns play a central role in the phenotypic expression of the disease already at the time of diagnosis, and may guide physicians to design a specific personalised management during the follow-up of patients with primary SjS.
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| 4. |
- Klepac, K., et al.
(author)
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The G(q) signalling pathway inhibits brown and beige adipose tissue
- 2016
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In: Nature Communications. - : Springer Science and Business Media LLC. - 2041-1723. ; 7
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Brown adipose tissue (BAT) dissipates nutritional energy as heat via the uncoupling protein-1 (UCP1) and BAT activity correlates with leanness in human adults. Here we profile G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) in brown adipocytes to identify druggable regulators of BAT. Twenty-one per cent of the GPCRs link to the G(q) family, and inhibition of G(q) signalling enhances differentiation of human and murine brown adipocytes. In contrast, activation of G(q) signalling abrogates brown adipogenesis. We further identify the endothelin/Ednra pathway as an autocrine activator of G(q) signalling in brown adipocytes. Expression of a constitutively active G(q) protein in mice reduces UCP1 expression in BAT, whole-body energy expenditure and the number of brown-like/beige cells in white adipose tissue (WAT). Furthermore, expression of G(q) in human WAT inversely correlates with UCP1 expression. Thus, our data indicate that G(q) signalling regulates brown/beige adipocytes and inhibition of G(q) signalling may be a novel therapeutic approach to combat obesity.
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| 6. |
- Kreins, AY, et al.
(author)
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Human TYK2 deficiency: Mycobacterial and viral infections without hyper-IgE syndrome
- 2015
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In: The Journal of experimental medicine. - : Rockefeller University Press. - 1540-9538 .- 0022-1007. ; 212:10, s. 1641-1662
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Autosomal recessive, complete TYK2 deficiency was previously described in a patient (P1) with intracellular bacterial and viral infections and features of hyper-IgE syndrome (HIES), including atopic dermatitis, high serum IgE levels, and staphylococcal abscesses. We identified seven other TYK2-deficient patients from five families and four different ethnic groups. These patients were homozygous for one of five null mutations, different from that seen in P1. They displayed mycobacterial and/or viral infections, but no HIES. All eight TYK2-deficient patients displayed impaired but not abolished cellular responses to (a) IL-12 and IFN-α/β, accounting for mycobacterial and viral infections, respectively; (b) IL-23, with normal proportions of circulating IL-17+ T cells, accounting for their apparent lack of mucocutaneous candidiasis; and (c) IL-10, with no overt clinical consequences, including a lack of inflammatory bowel disease. Cellular responses to IL-21, IL-27, IFN-γ, IL-28/29 (IFN-λ), and leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF) were normal. The leukocytes and fibroblasts of all seven newly identified TYK2-deficient patients, unlike those of P1, responded normally to IL-6, possibly accounting for the lack of HIES in these patients. The expression of exogenous wild-type TYK2 or the silencing of endogenous TYK2 did not rescue IL-6 hyporesponsiveness, suggesting that this phenotype was not a consequence of the TYK2 genotype. The core clinical phenotype of TYK2 deficiency is mycobacterial and/or viral infections, caused by impaired responses to IL-12 and IFN-α/β. Moreover, impaired IL-6 responses and HIES do not appear to be intrinsic features of TYK2 deficiency in humans.
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| 9. |
- Bacchus, E., et al.
(author)
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Project 1640 observations of the white dwarf HD 114174 B
- 2017
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In: Monthly notices of the Royal Astronomical Society. - : Oxford University Press (OUP). - 0035-8711 .- 1365-2966. ; 469:4, s. 4796-4805
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- We present the first near infrared spectrum of the faint white dwarf companion HD 114174 B, obtained with Project 1640. Our spectrum, covering the Y, J and H bands, combined with previous TaRgetting bENchmark-objects with Doppler Spectroscopy (TRENDS) photometry measurements, allows us to place further constraints on this companion. We suggest two possible scenarios; either this object is an old, low-mass, cool H atmosphere white dwarf with T-eff similar to 3800 K or a high-mass white dwarf with T-eff > 6000 K, potentially with an associated cool (T-eff similar to 700 K) brown dwarf or debris disc resulting in an infrared excess in the L' band. We also provide an additional astrometry point for 2014 June 12 and use the modelled companion mass combined with the radial velocity and direct imaging data to place constraints on the orbital parameters for this companion.
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