Project description:BackgroundNatural killer (NK) cells are an emerging new tool for cancer immunotherapy. To develop NK cell therapeutics from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of healthy donors, substantial expansion of primary NK cells is necessary because of the very low number of these cells in peripheral blood. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of various cytokine alone or combinations, in expanded NK cells and to analyze the synergetic effect of cytokine combinations.MethodsHuman NK cells were isolated from healthy donor PBMC. Purified NK cells were stimulated with single cytokines or combinations of IL-2, IL-15, IL-18, and IL-27. The expanded NK cells were characterized by flow cytometry, cytotoxicity assay, calcein AM assay and Western blot.ResultsWe investigated the synergistic effects of each cytokine, namely, IL-2, IL-15, IL-18, and IL-27, on human NK cells isolated from PBMCs of healthy donors and cultured for 21 days. We identified that IL-15/IL-18/IL-27-mediated activation of NK cells most potently increased NK cell proliferation, cytotoxicity, and IFN-ɣ secretion compared with the activation observed with other treatments, including IL-2, IL-15, and IL-15/IL-18. Additionally, the expression of DNAM-1, NKG2D, CD69, and natural cytotoxicity receptors (NCRs; NKp30 and NKp44) increased on day 21 compared to that on day 0, demonstrating the activation of NK cells. In vitro, expanded NK cells were highly cytotoxic against cancer cells, displaying increased perforin and granzyme B accumulation.ConclusionsTaken together, these results indicated that IL-27 can synergize on NK cell expansion and activation with IL-15 and IL-18. In addition, we described an improved culture method for ex vivo expansion of human NK cells with IL-15/IL-18/IL-27 stimulation and characterized the response of NK cells to this stimulation.
Project description:This project integrated data-independent acquisition (DIA) with capillary electrophoresis electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (CE-ESI-MS) to enable fast single-cell proteomics. With <15 min of effective separation time in a bottom-up proteomics setting, this technology returned ~1,200 proteins from a single HeLa-cell-equivalent proteome amount. Furthermore, using capillary microsampling to collect the proteome from identified cells in a cleavage-stage embryo of the vertebrate Xenopus laevis (frog) embryo, ~1,400 proteins were identified by measuring ~5 ng of the subcellular proteome content aspirated from live Xenopus embryos. CE-ESI-MS with DIA enhanced proteome detection sensitivity and improved analytical throughput.
Project description:The LifeLines-DEEP cohort is a sub-cohort of the LifeLines cohort (167,729 participants) that employs a broad range of investigative procedures to assess the biomedical, socio-demographic, behavioral, physical and psychological factors that contribute to health and disease in the general Dutch population, (Scholtens 2015). A subset of approximately 1,500 participants also took part in LifeLines-DEEP. For these participants, additional biological materials were collected, including analysis of the gut microbiome composition. The phenotyping and processing of LifeLines-DEEP has been described in Tigchelaar (2015).
Project description:Purpose We sought to establish normative growth curves for intelligibility development for the speech of typically developing children as revealed by objectively based orthographic transcription of elicited single-word and multiword utterances by naïve listeners. We also examined sex differences, and we compared differences between single-word and multiword intelligibility growth. Method One hundred sixty-four typically developing children (92 girls, 72 boys) contributed speech samples for this study. Children were between the ages of 30 and 47 months, and analyses examined 1-month age increments between these ages. Two different naïve listeners heard each child and made orthographic transcriptions of child-produced words and sentences (n = 328 listeners). Average intelligibility scores for single-word productions and multiword productions were modeled using linear regression, which estimated normal-model quantile age trajectories for single- and multiword utterances. Results We present growth curves showing steady linear change over time in 1-month increments from 30 to 47 months for 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th, 90th, and 95th percentiles. Results showed that boys did not differ from girls and that, prior to 35 months of age, single words were more intelligible than multiword productions. Starting at 41 months of age, the reverse was true. Multiword intelligibility grew at a faster rate than single-word intelligibility. Conclusions Children make steady progress in intelligibility development through 47 months, and only a small number of children approach 100% intelligibility by this age. Intelligibility continues to develop past the fourth year of life. There is considerable variability among children with regard to intelligibility development. Supplemental Material https://doi.org/10.23641/asha.12330956.
Project description:It is known that application of TSPO ligands as well as knockdown of the mitochondrial 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO) modulate viability, proliferation, adhesion, and migration of glioblastoma cells, as well as angiogenesis. To study the ability of the TSPO to regulate gene expression in relation to these functions we applied microarray analysis of gene expression to U118MG glioblastoma cells. Seen at the time points of 15, 30, and 45 minutes, the TSPO ligand PK 11195 induced changes in expression of immediate early genes and transcription factors. These changes also included gene products that are part of the canonical pathway for modulation of general gene expression. These changes peaked at 30 minutes. Thus, it appears that the TSPO is part of the retrograde mitochondrial-nuclear signaling pathway for modulation of gene expression. Consequently, our data indicate that this is a major venue whereby TSPO may drive its numerous functional effects. Keywords: modulation of nuclear gene expression, mitochondrial 18 kDa translocator protein (TSPO), TSPO ligand, PK 11195, 2-Cl-MGV-1, retrograde mitochondrial-nuclear signaling pathway, microscopy, mitochondria, cell nucleus abstract of annual meetingof the israel society for neuroscience, section B, abstract # 98.
Project description:PurposeThis review aimed to synthesize previous findings on the test-retest reliability of the 30-15 Intermittent Fitness Test (IFT).MethodsThe literature searches were performed in 8 databases. Studies that examined the test-retest reliability of the 30-15 IFT and presented the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and/or the coefficient of variation (CV) for maximal velocity and/or peak heart rate were included. The consensus-based standards for the selection of health measurement instruments (COSMIN) checklist was used for the assessment of the methodological quality of the included studies.ResultsSeven studies, with a total of 10 study groups, explored reliability of maximal velocity assessed by the 30-15 IFT. ICCs ranged from 0.80 to 0.99, where 70% of ICCs were ≥0.90. CVs for maximal velocity ranged from 1.5% to 6.0%. Six studies, with a total of 7 study groups, explored reliability of peak heart rate as assessed by the 30-15 IFT. ICCs ranged from 0.90 to 0.97 (i.e., all ICCs were ≥0.90). CVs ranged from 0.6% to 4.8%. All included studies were of excellent methodological quality.ConclusionFrom the results of this systematic review, it can be concluded that the 30-15 IFT has excellent test-retest reliability for both maximal velocity and peak heart rate. The test may, therefore, be used as a reliable measure of fitness in research and sports practice.
Project description:NK cells are an emerging cancer cellular therapy and potent mediators of anti-tumor immunity. Cytokine-induced memory-like (ML) NK cellular therapy is safe and induces remissions in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) patients. However, the dynamic molecular changes that occur after memory-like differentiation in vitro are unclear. Here, control or ML NK cells purified from normal donor PBMC were generated in vitro. Briefly, RosetteSep-purified NK cells were incubated in IL-12, IL-15, and IL-18, or low-dose IL-15 as a control for 16-18 hours. Control or cytokine-activated NK cells were washed three times and cultured for 6 days in low-dose IL-15, which is required for NK cell survival. After 6 days, RNA was isolated from control and memory-like (ML) NK cells (IL12/15/18 activation) and RNA-sequencing performed. Because the transcription factor GATA-3 was increased specifically in ML NK cells, we hypothesized ML NK cells would exhibit a GATA-3 gene signature compared to control NK cells. Indeed, using GSEA, a significant gene signature was associated with ML NK cell differentiation. These data support the role for GATA-3 in regulating the ML NK cell molecular program.