bims-supasi 2024-09-01 papers

Issue of 2024‒09‒01
five papers selected by
Jonathan Wolf Mueller, University of Birmingham

ACS Biomater Sci Eng. 2024 Aug 26.

Heparan Sulfate-Collagen Surface Multilayers Support Serum-Free Microcarrier Culture of Mesenchymal Stem Cells.

Said J Cifuentes, Natalia A Theran-Suarez, Carolina Rivera-Crespo, Leonel Velez-Roman, Bryan Thacker, Charles Glass, Maribella Domenech.

The increasing cost of high-volume cultures and dependence on serum and growth factor supplementation limit the affordability of mesenchymal stromal cell (MSC) therapies. This has spurred interest in developing strategies that support adherent cell expansion while reducing raw material costs. Culture surfaces coated with sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs), specifically heparan sulfate (HS), are an alternative to prolong growth factor retention in cell cultures. Unlike heparin, recombinant HS (rHS) offers strong binding affinity for multiple growth factors and extracellular matrix components, such as collagen I, without undesirable anticoagulant effects or xenobiotic health risks. The potential of rHS as a factor reservoir in MSC cultures remains underexplored. This study investigated the impact of rHS on the growth and anti-inflammatory properties of undifferentiated bone marrow MSCs in both planar and microcarrier-based cultures. It was hypothesized that rHS would enable MSC growth with minimal growth factor supplementation in a sulfation level-dependent manner. Cell culture surfaces were assembled via the layer-by-layer (LbL) method, combining alternating collagen I (COL) and rHS. These bilayers support cell adhesion and enable the incorporation of distinct sulfation levels on the culture surface. Examination of pro-mitogenic FGF and immunostimulatory IFN-γ release dynamics confirmed prolonged availability and sulfate level dependencies. Sulfated surfaces supported cell growth in low serum (2% FBS) and serum-free (SF) media at levels equivalent to standard culture conditions. Cell growth on rHS-coated surfaces in SF was comparable to that on heparin-coated surfaces and commercial surface-coated microcarriers in low serum. These growth benefits were observed in both planar and microcarrier (μCs) cultures. Additionally, rHS surfaces reduced β-galactosidase expression relative to uncoated surfaces, delaying cell senescence. Multivariate analysis of cytokines in conditioned media indicated that rHS-containing surfaces enhanced cytokine levels relative to uncoated surfaces during IFN-γ stimulation and correlated with decreased pro-inflammatory macrophage activity. Overall, utilizing highly sulfated rHS with COL reduces the need for exogenous growth factors and effectively supports MSC growth and anti-inflammatory potency on planar and microcarrier surfaces under minimal factor supplementation.

Keywords: cell manufacturing; glycosaminoglycans; human mesenchymal stromal cells; layer-by-layer; microcarriers; serum-free

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1021/acsbiomaterials.4c01008

Antioxidants (Basel). 2024 Aug 02. pii: 944. [Epub ahead of print]13(8):

Chondroitin Sulfate Ameliorates Hypertension in Male Offspring Rat Born to Mothers Fed an Adenine Diet.

You-Lin Tain, Chih-Yao Hou, Guo-Ping Chang-Chien, Shu-Fen Lin, Chien-Ning Hsu.

Pregnant women with chronic kidney disease (CKD) face increased risks of adverse outcomes in their adult offspring. Offspring rats born to dams fed an adenine diet develop hypertension, coinciding with dysregulated hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and nitric oxide (NO) pathways, as well as alterations in gut microbiota. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) is a multifunctional food known for its diverse bioactivities. As a sulfate prebiotic, CS has shown therapeutic potential in various diseases. Here, we investigated the protective effects of maternal CS supplementation against hypertension in offspring induced by an adenine diet. Mother rats were administered regular chow, 0.5% adenine, 3% CS, or a combination throughout gestation and lactation. Maternal CS supplementation effectively protected offspring from hypertension induced by the adenine diet. These beneficial effects of CS were connected with increased renal mRNA and protein levels of 3-mercaptopyruvate sulfurtransferase, an enzyme involved in H2S production. Furthermore, maternal CS treatment significantly enhanced alpha diversity and altered beta diversity of gut microbiota in adult offspring. Specifically, perinatal CS treatment promoted the abundance of beneficial microbes such as Roseburia hominis and Ruminococcus gauvreauii. In conclusion, perinatal CS treatment mitigates offspring hypertension associated with maternal adenine diet, suggesting that early administration of sulfate prebiotics may hold preventive potential. These findings warrant further translational research to explore their clinical implications.

Keywords: chondroitin sulfate; chronic kidney disease; developmental origins of health and disease (DOHaD); gut microbiota; hydrogen sulfide; hypertension

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13080944

Elife. 2024 Aug 28. pii: RP93510. [Epub ahead of print]13

Structure of the human heparan-α-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase (HGSNAT).

Vikas Navratna, Arvind Kumar, Jaimin K Rana, Shyamal Mosalaganti.

Degradation of heparan sulfate (HS), a glycosaminoglycan (GAG) comprised of repeating units of N-acetylglucosamine and glucuronic acid, begins in the cytosol and is completed in the lysosomes. Acetylation of the terminal non-reducing amino group of α-D-glucosamine of HS is essential for its complete breakdown into monosaccharides and free sulfate. Heparan-α-glucosaminide N-acetyltransferase (HGSNAT), a resident of the lysosomal membrane, catalyzes this essential acetylation reaction by accepting and transferring the acetyl group from cytosolic acetyl-CoA to terminal α-D-glucosamine of HS in the lysosomal lumen. Mutation-induced dysfunction in HGSNAT causes abnormal accumulation of HS within the lysosomes and leads to an autosomal recessive neurodegenerative lysosomal storage disorder called mucopolysaccharidosis IIIC (MPS IIIC). There are no approved drugs or treatment strategies to cure or manage the symptoms of, MPS IIIC. Here, we use cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) to determine a high-resolution structure of the HGSNAT-acetyl-CoA complex, the first step in the HGSNAT-catalyzed acetyltransferase reaction. In addition, we map the known MPS IIIC mutations onto the structure and elucidate the molecular basis for mutation-induced HGSNAT dysfunction.

Keywords: Acetyl-CoA; Cryo-EM; N-acetyltransferase; biochemistry; chemical biology; human; lysosomes; molecular biophysics; mucopolysaccharidosis; structural biology

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7554/eLife.93510

PeerJ. 2024 ;12 e17905

Achilles tendon thickness and serum asprosin level significantly increases in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome.

Huseyin Ali Ozturk, Fatih Necip Arici.

Aim: In our study, we aimed to investigate the Achilles tendon thickness (ATT) and asprosin levels in patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and to evaluate the relationship of these parameters, which may be related to cardio-metabolic diseases.Methods: In our prospective cross-sectional study, 45 female patients with PCOS and 30 female healthy individuals similar in age were included. Serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS), total testosterone, anti-Müllerian hormone (AMH) and asprosin levels were measured using appropriate kits and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), luteinizing hormone (LH) to follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) ratio was calculated. ATT measurements were performed by two radiologists using a high-resolution ultrasound doppler system.
Results: Serum DHEAS, total testosterone, AMH and asprosin levels, HOMA-IR value, LF/FSH ratio, and ATT values were higher in patients with PCOS compared to healthy controls. Correlation analysis was performed between ATT and other parameters in patients with PCOS. In univariate analysis, parameters associated with ATT were detected as asprosin, DHEAS and AMH. In the linear regression analysis performed with significant parameters, asprosin and DHEAS levels were found to be associated with ATT.
Conclusion: ATT values and serum asprosin levels were found to be significantly increased in patients with PCOS, and there is a very close positive relationship between ATT and serum asprosin levels. For this reason, it was thought that ATT measurement could be a cheap, simple and non-invasive monitoring parameter that can be used in the routine cardiometabolic follow-up of patients with PCOS.

Keywords: Achilles tendon thickness; Asprosin level; Cardiovascular disease; Metabolic disorder; Polycystic ovary syndrome

DOI: https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.17905

Int J Mol Sci. 2024 Aug 12. pii: 8770. [Epub ahead of print]25(16):

Indoxyl Sulfate Inhibits Osteogenesis in Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells through the AhR/Hes1 Pathway.

Chin-Wen Hsieh, Ling-Hua Chang, Yan-Hsiung Wang, Wei-Ting Li, Je-Ken Chang, Chung-Hwan Chen, Mei-Ling Ho.

Uremic toxins cause bone disorders in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). These disorders are characterized by low turnover osteodystrophy and impaired bone formation in the early stages of CKD. Evidence indicates that the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) mediates signals that suppress early osteogenic differentiation in bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs). However, whether the AhR mediates the effects of indoxyl sulfate (IS), a uremic toxin, on BMSC osteogenesis remains unclear. We investigated whether IS affects osteogenesis through the AhR/Hes1 pathway. Expression levels of osteogenesis genes (Runx2, Bmp2, Alp, and Oc), AhR, and Hes1 were measured in mouse BMSCs (D1 cells). At concentrations of 2-50 μM, IS significantly reduced mineralization, particularly in the early stages of BMSC osteogenesis. Furthermore, IS significantly downregulated the expression of Runx2, Bmp2, Oc, and Alp. Notably, this downregulation could be prevented using an AhR antagonist and through Ahr knockdown. Mechanistically, IS induced the expression of Hes1 through AhR signaling, thereby suppressing the transcription of Runx2 and Bmp2. Our findings suggest that IS inhibits early osteogenesis of BMSCs through the AhR/Hes1 pathway, thus suppressing the transcription of Runx2 and Bmp2. Our findings may guide new therapeutic strategies against CKD-related bone disorders.

Keywords: Hes1; aryl hydrocarbon receptor; chronic kidney disease; indoxyl sulfate; osteogenesis

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms25168770