The pineal gland (glandula pinealis) is neuroendocrine gland located at the epithalamus of the brain secreting melatonin. The aim of this study was to explore effects of prenatal hypoxia in rats at the age of 33 weeks on the occurrence of pineal gland calcification. Distribution and chemical composition of calcerous material by light, scanning and transmission electron microscopy was investigated. Melatonin concentrations in blood plasma by direct radioimmunoassay were measured. Rats were exposed to prenatal hypoxia for 12 h at day 20 of development and second group to prenatal hypoxia for 2x8 h at days 19 and 20 of development. Vacuoles of intracellular edema in the pineal samples after 12 h hypoxia were found. Their size ranges up to 30 μm. Some of them were filled with the flocculent and fibrous material. Samples of pineal glands after 2 x 8 h hypoxia revealed the pericellular edema of pinealocytes. The amount of calcium rich particles in 2 x 8 h hypoxia group was lower than in 12 h hypoxia group. Plasma melatonin levels did not differ between control and both hypoxia groups. We concluded that calcification is a process induced by osteoblasts and osteocytes with melatonin as a promotor and it is favored under hypoxic conditions.
- MeSH
- epifýza mozková metabolismus ultrastruktura MeSH
- hypoxie metabolismus MeSH
- kalcinóza * MeSH
- potkani Wistar MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Check Tag
- mužské pohlaví MeSH
- zvířata MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
Autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an inherited disease that results in multiple kidney cysts, and it is a common cause of end-stage renal disease. Recent studies have shown that disease progression can be slowed by simultaneous disruption of the primary cilium and polycystins. The exact genetic mechanism of this process is still unknown. The aim of the present study was to characterize the mutation profile of ciliary signalling pathways in the renal epithelial cells of ADPKD patients. In our study, we performed an analysis of 110 genes encoding the components of Sonic Hedgehog, Hippo, Notch, Wnt and planar cell polarity signalling (PCP) by targeted next-generation sequencing. We analysed 10 formalin-fixed, paraffinembedded (FFPE) tissue samples of patients with ADPKD. We identified a unique mutation profile in each of the analysed ADPKD samples, which was characterized by the presence of pathogenic variants in eight to 11 genes involved in different signalling pathways. Despite the significant genetic heterogeneity of ADPKD, we detected five genes whose genetic variants affected most ADPKD samples. The pathogenic variants in NCOR2 and LRP2 genes were present in all analysed samples of ADPKD. In addition, eight out of 10 samples showed a pathogenic variant in the MAML2 and FAT4 genes, and six out of 10 samples in the CELSR1 gene. In our study, we identified the signalling molecules that may contribute to the cystogenesis and may represent potential targets for the development of new ADPKD treatments.
- MeSH
- DNA vazebné proteiny genetika MeSH
- dospělí MeSH
- jaderné proteiny genetika MeSH
- kadheriny genetika MeSH
- kationtové kanály TRPP genetika MeSH
- korepresor 2 jaderného receptoru genetika MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- mutace genetika MeSH
- nádorové supresorové proteiny genetika MeSH
- pilotní projekty MeSH
- polarita buněk genetika fyziologie MeSH
- polycystická choroba ledvin genetika metabolismus patologie MeSH
- polycystické ledviny autozomálně dominantní genetika metabolismus patologie MeSH
- progrese nemoci MeSH
- protein 2 související s LDL-receptory genetika MeSH
- signální transdukce genetika fyziologie MeSH
- transkripční faktory genetika MeSH
- Check Tag
- dospělí MeSH
- lidé středního věku MeSH
- lidé MeSH
- Publikační typ
- časopisecké články MeSH
- Publikační typ
- abstrakt z konference MeSH
