Phenotypic Profile of Peripheral Blood NK Cells under Culturing with Trophoblast Cells and IL-15 and IL-18 Cytokines

Natural killer cells (NK cells) are innate immunity lymphocytes. NK cell differentiation is controlled by the cellular microenvironment and locally produced cytokines, including IL-2, IL-15 and IL-18. NK cells are present in various tissues, forming pools of tissue-resident NK cells, e.g., decidual NK cell pool. Peripheral blood NK cells (pNK cells) are considered a supposed source of cells for decidual NK cell differentiation. In the uterus, NK cells contact with trophoblast cells, which can affect their phenotype. Contribution of trophoblast cells and IL-2, IL-15 and IL-18 cytokines to the pNK cell phenotype regulation is scarcely studied. In this regard, the aim of our research was to evaluate the effect of trophoblast cells on the phenotype of pNK cells when cultured in medium with IL-2, IL-15, and IL-18. We used mononuclear cells obtained from peripheral blood of healthy non-pregnant women at their reproductive age, with regular menstrual cycle (n = 21). Mononuclear cells were cultured in presence of IL-2, and either of cytokines regulating NK cell differentiation (IL-15, or IL-18). JEG-3 cells were used as trophoblast cells. We evaluated expression of CD45, CD3, CD56, CD14, KIR3DL1, KIR2DL3, KIR2DL4, KIR2DS4, NKp44, CD215, CD122, CD127, NKG2D, KIR2DL1, NKG2C receptors by pNK cells. It was found that pNK cells cultured in presence of trophoblast cells (JEG-3 cell line) were characterized by lower intensity of CD56 receptor expression, compared to pNK cells cultured without trophoblast cells. These changes were detected upon culturing both in medium supplied by IL-15, and with IL-18. A reduced number of NKG2C+ pNK cells was detected in presence of JEG-3 trophoblast cells, compared to NK cells cultured without trophoblast cells in medium with IL-15. The detected changes in the CD56 and NKG2C expression by pNK cells in presence of trophoblast cells proved to be opposite to those previously detected for NK cells derived from NK-92 cell line. Along with trophoblast cells, the monocytes isolated among mononuclear cells and being affected by cytokines, can apparently influence the phenotype of pNK cells in the model system used. Since monocytes/macrophages are present in decidua, further research is required to study the effect of cytokines and cellular microenvironment, including monocytes, on pNK cells.

Evaluation of Biological Effect in Breast Cell Irradiated with Dose 2 Gy in Radiotherapy

Introduction: Breast cancer (BC) is the most common female malignancy worldwide. For the definitive treatment of MC, radiotherapy can be used, as an important component, and uses ionizing radiation (IR). Studies reveal the potential capacity of IR to promote metastasis. The clinical response of BC to radiotherapy is related to radiosensitivity and resistance of irradiated cells, which is associated with clonogenic activity and sensitivity to radiation. Unsuccessful treatment increases the risk of local and distant recurrence.Methodology: Three breast cell lines (MCF-10A, MCF-7, and MDA-MB-231) were irradiated with 2 Gy and after 72 hours following markers were evaluated: E-cadherin, fibronectin, vimentin, and Snail. The processes of invasion, degradation of MMP2 and MMP9, and transendothelial migration were then assessed. Double-strand DNA breaks (DSBs), apoptosis, and colony formation were quantified. Result: The detection of γH2AX histone of irradiated cells showed that MCF-10A non-tumor cell is more radiosensitive while the MDA-MB-231 tumor cell is more radioresistant. The dose 2 Gy altered the formation of colonies to any of the cell lines. Tumorigenic cells exhibited a markedly increase in apoptosis, 24 h after irradiation while MCF-10A cells only after 72 h. A single dose of 2 Gy does not induce changes in the cellular microenvironment that lead to changes in the mesenchymal epithelium in breast BC.Conclusion: A dose of 2 Gy induces apoptosis and consequently an alteration in cell survival. However, a single dose of 2 Gy does not induce changes in the cellular microenvironment that lead to changes in the mesenchymal epithelium.

Modelling the central nervous system: tissue engineering of the cellular microenvironment

With the increasing prevalence of neurodegenerative diseases, improved models of the central nervous system (CNS) will improve our understanding of neurophysiology and pathogenesis, whilst enabling exploration of novel therapeutics. Studies of brain physiology have largely been carried out using in vivo models, ex vivo brain slices or primary cell culture from rodents. Whilst these models have provided great insight into complex interactions between brain cell types, key differences remain between human and rodent brains, such as degree of cortical complexity. Unfortunately, comparative models of human brain tissue are lacking. The development of induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) has accelerated advancement within the field of in vitro tissue modelling. However, despite generating accurate cellular representations of cortical development and disease, two-dimensional (2D) iPSC-derived cultures lack an entire dimension of environmental information on structure, migration, polarity, neuronal circuitry and spatiotemporal organisation of cells. As such, researchers look to tissue engineering in order to develop advanced biomaterials and culture systems capable of providing necessary cues for guiding cell fates, to construct in vitro model systems with increased biological relevance. This review highlights experimental methods for engineering of in vitro culture systems to recapitulate the complexity of the CNS with consideration given to previously unexploited biophysical cues within the cellular microenvironment.

Engineering the Cellular Microenvironment of Post-infarct Myocardium on a Chip

Myocardial infarctions are one of the most common forms of cardiac injury and death worldwide. Infarctions cause immediate necrosis in a localized region of the myocardium, which is followed by a repair process with inflammatory, proliferative, and maturation phases. This repair process culminates in the formation of scar tissue, which often leads to heart failure in the months or years after the initial injury. In each reparative phase, the infarct microenvironment is characterized by distinct biochemical, physical, and mechanical features, such as inflammatory cytokine production, localized hypoxia, and tissue stiffening, which likely each contribute to physiological and pathological tissue remodeling by mechanisms that are incompletely understood. Traditionally, simplified two-dimensional cell culture systems or animal models have been implemented to elucidate basic pathophysiological mechanisms or predict drug responses following myocardial infarction. However, these conventional approaches offer limited spatiotemporal control over relevant features of the post-infarct cellular microenvironment. To address these gaps, Organ on a Chip models of post-infarct myocardium have recently emerged as new paradigms for dissecting the highly complex, heterogeneous, and dynamic post-infarct microenvironment. In this review, we describe recent Organ on a Chip models of post-infarct myocardium, including their limitations and future opportunities in disease modeling and drug screening.

Ethanol treatment of nanoPGA/PCL composite scaffolds enhances human chondrocyte development in the cellular microenvironment of tissue-engineered auricle constructs

A major obstacle for tissue engineering ear-shaped cartilage is poorly developed tissue comprising cell-scaffold constructs. To address this issue, bioresorbable scaffolds of poly-ε-caprolactone (PCL) and polyglycolic acid nanofibers (nanoPGA) were evaluated using an ethanol treatment step before auricular chondrocyte scaffold seeding, an approach considered to enhance scaffold hydrophilicity and cartilage regeneration. Auricular chondrocytes were isolated from canine ears and human surgical samples discarded during otoplasty, including microtia reconstruction. Canine chondrocytes were seeded onto PCL and nanoPGA sheets either with or without ethanol treatment to examine cellular adhesion in vitro. Human chondrocytes were seeded onto three-dimensional bioresorbable composite scaffolds (PCL with surface coverage of nanoPGA) either with or without ethanol treatment and then implanted into athymic mice for 10 and 20 weeks. On construct retrieval, scanning electron microscopy showed canine auricular chondrocytes seeded onto ethanol-treated scaffolds in vitro developed extended cell processes contacting scaffold surfaces, a result suggesting cell-scaffold adhesion and a favorable microenvironment compared to the same cells with limited processes over untreated scaffolds. Adhesion of canine chondrocytes was statistically significantly greater (p ≤ 0.05) for ethanol-treated compared to untreated scaffold sheets. After implantation for 10 weeks, constructs of human auricular chondrocytes seeded onto ethanol-treated scaffolds were covered with glossy cartilage while constructs consisting of the same cells seeded onto untreated scaffolds revealed sparse connective tissue and cartilage regeneration. Following 10 weeks of implantation, RT-qPCR analyses of chondrocytes grown on ethanol-treated scaffolds showed greater expression levels for several cartilage-related genes compared to cells developed on untreated scaffolds with statistically significantly increased SRY-box transcription factor 5 (SOX5) and decreased interleukin-1α (inflammation-related) expression levels (p ≤ 0.05). Ethanol treatment of scaffolds led to increased cartilage production for 20- compared to 10-week constructs. While hydrophilicity of scaffolds was not assessed directly in the present findings, a possible factor supporting the summary data is that hydrophilicity may be enhanced for ethanol-treated nanoPGA/PCL scaffolds, an effect leading to improvement of chondrocyte adhesion, the cellular microenvironment and cartilage regeneration in tissue-engineered auricle constructs.

Elucidation of the origin of autoimmune diseases via computational multiscale mechanobiology and extracellular matrix remodeling: theories and phenomenon of immunodominance

Experimental practices of computational multiscale mechanobiology were applied to explicate different topographies of mechanobiology and to predict the fine minutiae of mechanosensing and mechanotransduction in a cellular system accurately. Autoimmune diseases denoted as biologically implausible. Recently, scientific and medical communities investigated autoimmune diseases and associated settings to conclude the disarrays of autoimmune as earlier as possible. Therefore, an urgent need is there to evaluate ocular immunology and the route of growth of autoimmune diseases. Scientific investigations play a significant role to detect interrelated cures and bearing research for probing treatments for autoimmune diseases, which are yet undiscovered. Extracellular matrix remodeling followed in the cellular microenvironment dynamically to manage remodelling events. Immunodominance deals with the immunodominance mechanism evolved in response to clearing any type of infection and not yet distinguished entirely.

Morphogenesis of a complex glial niche requires an interplay between cellular growth and fusion

Neural stem cells (NSCs) are found in a tailored, intricate cellular microenvironment, the niche, which supports and regulates their activity. Whilst niche architecture is indissociable from its function, the morphogenetic aspects of niche development have been poorly explored. Here, we use the formation of the cortex glia (CG) network in Drosophila as a paradigm of acquisition of architectural complexity of a NSC niche. CG are essential for normal neurogenesis and build a reticular network spanning the entire central nervous system while encasing each NSC linage. We first show that individual CG cells grow tremendously to enwrap several NSC linages, ultimately covering and tiling the entire tissue. Several proliferative mechanisms, including endoreplication and mitosis, in part acytokinetic, support such growth and result in the formation of multinucleated, syncytial CG cells, that we call units. We then reveal that CG units are able to fuse to each other, resulting in the exchange of several subcellular compartments, such as membrane, cytoplasm and organelles. This process relies on well-known molecular players of cell fusion, involving cell surface communication molecules and actin regulators, while being atypical by its extent, dynamics and partial nature. Ultimately, the coordination in time and space of growth, proliferation and fusion mechanisms is required for the remarkable, multi-level architecture of the Drosophila NSC niche.

Development of Highly Sensitive Temperature Microsensors for Localized Measurements

This paper presents the design, fabrication and characterization of temperature microsensors based on Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs) with a meander-shaped geometry. Numerical simulations were performed for studying the sensitivity of the RTDs according to their windings numbers as well as for optimizing their layout. These RTDs were fabricated using well-established microfabrication and photolithographic techniques. The fabricated sensors feature high sensitivity (0.3542 mV/°C), linearity and reproducibility in a temperature range of 35 to 45 °C. Additionally, each sensor has a small size with a strong potential for their integration in microfluidic devices, as organ-on-a-chip, allowing the possibility for in-situ monitoring the physiochemical properties of the cellular microenvironment.