| 2. |
- Hu, XS, et al.
(author)
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Systemic evaluation of platelet and leukocyte activation and interaction in a rat model of pulmonary arterial hypertension
- 2010
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In: Cardiology. - : S. Karger AG. - 1421-9751 .- 0008-6312. ; 117:1, s. 44-53
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- <i>Objectives:</i> Thrombosis and inflammation are associated with the pathogenesis of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, there are no solid data supporting the involvement of platelet and leukocyte activation and interaction in PAH. The present study thus investigated the activation and interaction of circulating platelets and leukocytes in a rat model of monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension. <i>Methods:</i> Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) was monitored in rats (n = 24) before and 2, 3 and 7 weeks after MCT (60 mg/kg)injection. In parallel, activation of circulating platelets and leukocytes and platelet-leukocyte aggregates were measured by whole-blood flow cytometry. <i>Results:</i> Two weeks after MCT injection, mPAP had increased significantly, i.e. from 11.25 ± 0.92 mm Hg at baseline to 15.71 ± 1.66 mm Hg (p < 0.05), and it had increased even further at week 7 (26.83 ± 3.29 mm Hg; p < 0.01). Fibrinogen binding of circulating platelets had increased from the basal level of 1.45 ± 0.61 to 4.08 ± 1.59% 3 weeks after MCT injection (p < 0.01). Platelet responsiveness to ADP was also significantly enhanced. CD11b expression of circulating neutrophils was elevated; i.e. mean fluorescence intensity increased from 1.67 ± 0.38 before MCT injection to 2.37 ± 0.31 3 weeks after MCT injection (p < 0.01), and N-formyl-methionyl-leucyl-phenylalanine (1 × 10<sup>–7</sup><i>M</i>) stimulation induced more marked elevation of neutrophil CD11b expression in MCT-treated animals. Circulating platelet-neutrophil aggregates were already increased 2 weeks after MCT treatment (14.93 ± 4.22%; p < 0.01) compared to baseline (6.01 ± 2.91%) and remained elevated at 3 weeks (15.19 ± 4.78%; p < 0.01). <i>Conclusions:</i> MCT-induced PAH in rats is associated with increased platelet and leukocyte activation and platelet-leukocyte interaction in vivo, which may play an important role in the pathogenesis of PAH.
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| 3. |
- Schoch, CL, et al.
(author)
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Nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region as a universal DNA barcode marker for Fungi
- 2012
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In: Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. - : Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. - 1091-6490. ; 109:16, s. 6241-6246
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Six DNA regions were evaluated as potential DNA barcodes for Fungi, the second largest kingdom of eukaryotic life, by a multinational, multilaboratory consortium. The region of the mitochondrial cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 used as the animal barcode was excluded as a potential marker, because it is difficult to amplify in fungi, often includes large introns, and can be insufficiently variable. Three subunits from the nuclear ribosomal RNA cistron were compared together with regions of three representative protein-coding genes (largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II, and minichromosome maintenance protein). Although the protein-coding gene regions often had a higher percent of correct identification compared with ribosomal markers, low PCR amplification and sequencing success eliminated them as candidates for a universal fungal barcode. Among the regions of the ribosomal cistron, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region has the highest probability of successful identification for the broadest range of fungi, with the most clearly defined barcode gap between inter- and intraspecific variation. The nuclear ribosomal large subunit, a popular phylogenetic marker in certain groups, had superior species resolution in some taxonomic groups, such as the early diverging lineages and the ascomycete yeasts, but was otherwise slightly inferior to the ITS. The nuclear ribosomal small subunit has poor species-level resolution in fungi. ITS will be formally proposed for adoption as the primary fungal barcode marker to the Consortium for the Barcode of Life, with the possibility that supplementary barcodes may be developed for particular narrowly circumscribed taxonomic groups.
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