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Special Issue "A Commemorative Issue in Honour of Rudolf Virchow: From Cell Morphology to Molecular Pathology-Volume 2"

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A special issue of International Journal of Molecular Sciences (ISSN 1422-0067). This special issue belongs to the section "Molecular Pathology, Diagnostics, and Therapeutics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 October 2023 | Viewed by 6685

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Prof. Dr. Maria A. Mariggiò

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Department of Precision and Regenerative Medicine and Ionian Area, University of Bari, Piazza Giulio Cesare 11, 70124 Bari, Italy
Interests: diagnostics; molecular oncology and pathology; precision medicine
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Maria Addolorata Bonifacio

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Section of Experimental and Clinical Pathology, Department of Biomedical Sciences and Human Oncology, University of Bari Aldo Moro, 70124 Bari, Italy
Interests: molecular biology; chemistry; translational medicine; clinical pathology; biomaterials; tissue engineering
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Dear Colleagues,

“Chemistry brings the clarification of living processes nearer than does anatomy. Each anatomical change must have been preceded by a chemical one.”

After 120 years after Virchow’s death, his words sound like a prophecy in front of the outstanding achievements of molecular research. Indeed, “chemical changes” at the subcellular and molecular level, like point mutations and single nucleotide polymorphisms, are currently exploited in several medical fields, ranging from oncohematology to prenatal diagnosis of genetic diseases. Furthermore, other research areas also benefit from progress in molecular medicine (e.g. forensic science, pharmacogenomics). In this respect, the 21st century has seen an impressive evolution of molecular methods, mainly based on PCR and mass spectrometry techniques, gradually moving from the academic context to diagnostics laboratories. This transition is supported by massive instrumental automation, combined with the development of algorithms for pattern recognition and management of complex information. Therefore, in the era of big data, the modern pathologist is expected to handle more frequently data mining challenges, rather than perform manual tasks. More than a century after Rudolf Virchow’s death, molecular approaches are reshaping research laboratories, speeding up turn-around times, and improving the sensitivity and specificity of analyses.

This new special issue, dedicated to the Father of modern pathology, will honor his memory, providing the latest insights into molecular techniques for medicine. Original research papers, reviews, and case studies reporting innovative molecular assays for pathology studies, diagnostic purposes, as well as for adjustment of therapy and follow-up, are herein welcome. The same applies to manuscripts dealing with new applications of molecular techniques, original strategies to solve technical issues, enhance standardization and improve sensitivity. Furthermore, systematic reviews and critical analyses, describing the advantages and current drawbacks of molecular approaches in a research context, will be considered.

Prof. Dr. Maria Addolorata Mariggiò
Dr. Maria Addolorata Bonifacio
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. International Journal of Molecular Sciences is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. There is an Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal. For details about the APC please see here. Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

molecular methods
biomarkers
biochemical mechanisms
bioinformatics
omics
data mining
laboratory medicine
translational research
clinical pathology
evidence-based medicine

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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Open AccessArticle

Effect of Fetal Bovine Serum or Basic Fibroblast Growth Factor on Cell Survival and the Proliferation of Neural Stem Cells: The Influence of Homocysteine Treatment

Dražen Juraj Petrović

and

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(18), 14161; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241814161 - 15 Sep 2023

Viewed by 231

Abstract

In vitro cell culture is a routinely used method which is also applied for in vitro modeling of various neurological diseases. On the other hand, media used for cell culture are often not strictly standardized between laboratories, which hinders the comparison of the obtained results. Here, we compared the effects of homocysteine (Hcy), a molecule involved in neurodegeneration, on immature cells of the nervous system cultivated in basal medium or media supplemented by either fetal bovine serum or basic fibroblast growth factor. The number of cells in basal media supplemented with basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF) was 2.5 times higher in comparison to the number of cells in basal media supplemented with fetal bovine serum (FBS). We also found that the neuron-specific β-3-tubulin protein expression dose dependently decreased with increasing Hcy exposure. Interestingly, bFGF exerts a protective effect on β-3-tubulin protein expression at a concentration of 1000 µM Hcy compared to FBS-treated neural stem cells on Day 7. Supplementation with bFGF increased SOX2 protein expression two-fold compared to FBS supplementation. GFAP protein expression increased five-fold on Day 3 in FBS-treated neural stem cells, whereas on Day 7, bFGF increased GFAP expression two-fold compared to FBS-treated neural stem cells. Here, we have clearly shown that the selection of culturing media significantly influences various cellular parameters, which, in turn, can lead to different conclusions in experiments based on in vitro models of pathological conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue A Commemorative Issue in Honour of Rudolf Virchow: From Cell Morphology to Molecular Pathology-Volume 2)

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Open AccessArticle

Underfeeding Alters Brain Tissue Synthesis Rate in a Rat Brain Injury Model

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Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(17), 13195; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241713195 - 25 Aug 2023

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Abstract

Brain injuries (BI) are highly disruptive, often having long lasting effects. Inadequate standard of care (SOC) energy support in the hospital leads to dietary energy deficiencies in BI patients. However, it is unclear how underfeeding (UF) affects protein synthesis post-BI. Therefore, in a rat model, we addressed the issue of UF on the protein fractional synthesis rate (fSR) post-BI. Compared to ad libitum (AL)-fed animals, we found that UF decreased protein synthesis in hind-limb skeletal muscle and cortical mitochondrial and structural proteins (p ≤ 0.05). BI significantly increased protein synthesis in the left and right cortices (p ≤ 0.05), but suppressed protein synthesis in the cerebellum (p ≤ 0.05) as compared to non-injured sham animals. Compared to underfeeding alone, UF in conjunction with BI (UF+BI) caused increased protein synthesis rates in mitochondrial, cytosolic, and whole-tissue proteins of the cortical brain regions. The increased rates of protein synthesis found in the UF+BI group were mitigated by AL feeding, demonstrating that caloric adequacy alleviates the effects of BI on protein dynamics in cortical and cerebellar brain regions. This research provides evidence that underfeeding has a negative impact on brain healing post-BI and that protein reserves in uninjured tissues are mobilized to support cortical tissue repair following BI. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue A Commemorative Issue in Honour of Rudolf Virchow: From Cell Morphology to Molecular Pathology-Volume 2)

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Open AccessArticle

Distinct Molecular Signatures of Amyloid-Beta and Tau in Alzheimer’s Disease Associated with Down Syndrome

Shojiro Ichimata

Ivan Martinez-Valbuena

and

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(14), 11596; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241411596 - 18 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 753

Abstract

Limited comparative data exist on the molecular spectrum of amyloid-beta (Aβ) and tau deposition in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) and sporadic Alzheimer’s disease (sAD). We assessed Aβ and tau deposition severity in the temporal lobe and cerebellum of ten DS and ten sAD cases. Immunohistochemistry was performed using antibodies against eight different Aβ epitopes (6F/3D, Aβ₃₈, Aβ₃₉, Aβ₄₀, Aβ₄₂, Aβ₄₃, pyroglutamate Aβ at third glutamic acid (Aβ_Np3E), phosphorylated- (p-)Aβ at 8th serine (Aβ_pSer8)), and six different pathological tau epitopes (p-Ser202/Thr205, p-Thr231, p-Ser396, Alz50, MC1, GT38). Findings were evaluated semi-quantitatively and quantitatively using digital pathology. DS cases had significantly higher neocortical parenchymal deposition (Aβ₃₈, Aβ₄₂, and Aβ_pSer8), and cerebellar parenchymal deposition (Aβ₄₀, Aβ₄₂, Aβ_Np3E, and Aβ_pSer8) than sAD cases. Furthermore, DS cases had a significantly larger mean plaque size (6F/3D, Aβ₄₂, Aβ_Np3E) in the temporal lobe, and significantly greater deposition of cerebral and cerebellar Aβ₄₂ than sAD cases in the quantitative analysis. Western blotting corroborated these findings. Regarding tau pathology, DS cases had significantly more severe cerebral tau deposition than sAD cases, especially in the white matter (p-Ser202/Thr205, p-Thr231, Alz50, and MC1). Greater total tau deposition in the white matter (p-Ser202/Thr205, p-Thr231, and Alz50) of DS cases was confirmed by quantitative analysis. Our data suggest that the Aβ and tau molecular signatures in DS are distinct from those in sAD. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue A Commemorative Issue in Honour of Rudolf Virchow: From Cell Morphology to Molecular Pathology-Volume 2)

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Open AccessArticle

Gut Region-Specific Interleukin 1β Induction in Different Myenteric Neuronal Subpopulations of Type 1 Diabetic Rats

Afnan AL Doghmi

Bence Pál Barta

Abigél Egyed-Kolumbán

and

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(6), 5804; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24065804 - 18 Mar 2023

Viewed by 922

Abstract

Interleukin 1β (IL1β) is a pro-inflammatory cytokine that may play a crucial role in enteric neuroinflammation in type 1 diabetes. Therefore, our goal is to evaluate the effects of chronic hyperglycemia and insulin treatment on IL1β immunoreactivity in myenteric neurons and their different subpopulations along the duodenum–ileum–colon axis. Fluorescent immunohistochemistry was used to count IL1β expressing neurons as well as the neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)- and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP)-immunoreactive myenteric neurons within this group. Tissue IL1β level was measured by ELISA in muscle/myenteric plexus-containing homogenates. IL1β mRNA was detected by RNAscope in different intestinal layers. The proportion of IL1β-immunoreactive myenteric neurons was significantly higher in the colon than in the small intestine of controls. In diabetics, this proportion significantly increased in all gut segments, which was prevented by insulin treatment. The proportion of IL1β-nNOS-immunoreactive neurons only increased in the diabetic colon, while the proportion of IL1β-CGRP-immunoreactive neurons only increased in the diabetic ileum. Elevated IL1β levels were also confirmed in tissue homogenates. IL1β mRNA induction was detected in the myenteric ganglia, smooth muscle and intestinal mucosa of diabetics. These findings support that diabetes-related IL1β induction is specific for the different myenteric neuronal subpopulations, which may contribute to diabetic motility disturbances. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue A Commemorative Issue in Honour of Rudolf Virchow: From Cell Morphology to Molecular Pathology-Volume 2)

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Review

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Endogenous Biological Drivers in Diabetic Lower Limb Wounds Recurrence: Hypothetical Reflections

Jorge Berlanga-Acosta

Ariana Garcia-Ojalvo

Gerardo Guillen-Nieto

and

Marta Ayala-Avila

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(12), 10170; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms241210170 - 15 Jun 2023

Viewed by 553

Abstract

An impaired healing response underlies diabetic foot wound chronicity, frequently translating to amputation, disability, and mortality. Diabetics suffer from underappreciated episodes of post-epithelization ulcer recurrence. Recurrence epidemiological data are alarmingly high, so the ulcer is considered in “remission” and not healed from the time it remains epithelialized. Recurrence may result from the combined effects of behavioral and endogenous biological factors. Although the damaging role of behavioral, clinical predisposing factors is undebatable, it still remains elusive in the identification of endogenous biological culprits that may prime the residual scar tissue for recurrence. Furthermore, the event of ulcer recurrence still waits for the identification of a molecular predictor. We propose that ulcer recurrence is deeply impinged by chronic hyperglycemia and its downstream biological effectors, which originate epigenetic drivers that enforce abnormal pathologic phenotypes to dermal fibroblasts and keratinocytes as memory cells. Hyperglycemia-derived cytotoxic reactants accumulate and modify dermal proteins, reduce scar tissue mechanical tolerance, and disrupt fibroblast-secretory activity. Accordingly, the combination of epigenetic and local and systemic cytotoxic signalers induce the onset of “at-risk phenotypes” such as premature skin cell aging, dysmetabolism, inflammatory, pro-degradative, and oxidative programs that may ultimately converge to scar cell demise. Post-epithelialization recurrence rate data are missing in clinical studies of reputed ulcer healing therapies during follow-up periods. Intra-ulcer infiltration of epidermal growth factor exhibits the most consistent remission data with the lowest recurrences during 12-month follow-up. Recurrence data should be regarded as a valuable clinical endpoint during the investigational period for each emergent healing candidate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue A Commemorative Issue in Honour of Rudolf Virchow: From Cell Morphology to Molecular Pathology-Volume 2)

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Open AccessReview

Glutamine Deficiency Promotes Immune and Endothelial Cell Dysfunction in COVID-19

William Durante

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2023, 24(8), 7593; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms24087593 - 20 Apr 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 3479

Abstract

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused the death of almost 7 million people worldwide. While vaccinations and new antiviral drugs have greatly reduced the number of COVID-19 cases, there remains a need for additional therapeutic strategies to combat this deadly disease. Accumulating clinical data have discovered a deficiency of circulating glutamine in patients with COVID-19 that associates with disease severity. Glutamine is a semi-essential amino acid that is metabolized to a plethora of metabolites that serve as central modulators of immune and endothelial cell function. A majority of glutamine is metabolized to glutamate and ammonia by the mitochondrial enzyme glutaminase (GLS). Notably, GLS activity is upregulated in COVID-19, favoring the catabolism of glutamine. This disturbance in glutamine metabolism may provoke immune and endothelial cell dysfunction that contributes to the development of severe infection, inflammation, oxidative stress, vasospasm, and coagulopathy, which leads to vascular occlusion, multi-organ failure, and death. Strategies that restore the plasma concentration of glutamine, its metabolites, and/or its downstream effectors, in conjunction with antiviral drugs, represent a promising therapeutic approach that may restore immune and endothelial cell function and prevent the development of occlusive vascular disease in patients stricken with COVID-19. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue A Commemorative Issue in Honour of Rudolf Virchow: From Cell Morphology to Molecular Pathology-Volume 2)

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