Alkaline Phosphatase (ALP), an enzyme involved in mineralization of bone, was incorporated into three hydrogel biomaterials to induce their mineralization with calcium phosphate (CaP). These were collagen type I, a mussel protein-inspired adhesive consisting of PEG substituted with catechol groups, cPEG, and the PEG-fumaric acid copolymer OPF. After incubation in calcium glycerophosphate (Ca-GP) solution, FTIR, EDS, SEM, XRD, SAED, ICP-OES and von Kossa staining confirmed CaP formation. The amount of mineral formed decreased in the order cPEG > collagen > OPF. Mineral:polymer ratio decreased in the order collagen > cPEG > OPF. Mineralization increased Young’s modulus, most profoundly for cPEG. Such enzymatically mineralized hydrogel-CaP composites could find application as bone regeneration materials.

Membranes of the autologous blood‐derived biomaterial platelet‐rich fibrin (PRF) were functionalized by incorporation of alkaline phosphatase (ALP), an enzyme involved in mineralization of bone, and subsequently incubated in calcium glycerophosphate (CaGP) solution to induce PRFs mineralization with calcium phosphate (CaP) to improve PRFs suitability as a material for bone replacement. Incorporated ALP retained its bioactivity and induced formation of CaP material within PRF membranes, as confirmed by SEM, EDS, FTIR, and von Kossa staining. The mass percentage attributable to CaP was quantified by lyophilization and measurement of the remaining mass fraction as well as by TGA. Cytocompatibility tests (LDH, MTT, and WST) with SAOS‐2 cells showed that mineralized PRF did not release substances detrimental to cell vitality. Live/dead staining and SEM showed that mineralized PRF was colonized by cells. The results show that hydrogel biomaterials such as PRF can be mineralized through functionalization with ALP. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part A: 2012.

Astrocytes, key regulators of brain homeostasis, interact with neighboring glial cells, neurons and the vasculature through complex processes involving different signaling pathways. It is not entirely clear how these interactions change in the ageing brain and which factors influence astrocyte ageing. Here, we investigate the role of endocannabinoid signaling, because it is an important modulator of neuron and astrocyte functions, as well as brain ageing. We demonstrate that mice with a specific deletion of CB1 receptors on GABAergic neurons (GABA-Cnr1-/- mice), which show a phenotype of accelerated brain ageing, affects age-related changes in the morphology of astrocytes in the hippocampus. Thus, GABA-Cnr1-/- mice showed a much more pronounced age-related and layer-specific increase in GFAP-positive areas in the hippocampus compared to wild-type animals. The number of astrocytes, in contrast, was similar between the two genotypes. Astrocytes in the hippocampus of old GABA-Cnr1-/- mice also showed a different morphology with enhanced GFAP-positive process branching and a less polarized intrahippocampal distribution. Furthermore, astrocytic TNFα levels were higher in GABA-Cnr1-/- mice, indicating that these morphological changes were accompanied by a more pro-inflammatory function. These findings demonstrate that the disruption of endocannabinoid signaling on GABAergic neurons is accompanied by functional changes in astrocyte activity, which are relevant to brain ageing.

Introduction: Familial dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is clinically variable and has been associated with mutations in more than 50 genes. Rapid improvements in DNA sequencing have led to the identification of diverse rare variants with unknown significance (VUS), which underlines the importance of functional analyses. In this study, by investigating human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs), we evaluated the pathogenicity of the p.C335R sodium voltage-gated channel alpha subunit 5 (SCN5a) variant in a large family with familial DCM and conduction disease. Methods: A four-generation family with autosomal dominant familial DCM was investigated. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed in all 16 family members. Clinical deep phenotyping, including endomyocardial biopsy, was performed. Skin biopsies from two patients and one healthy family member were used to generate human-induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), which were then differentiated into cardiomyocytes. Patch-clamp analysis with Xenopus oocytes and iPSC-CMs were performed. Results: A SCN5a variant (c.1003T>C; p.C335R) could be detected in all family members with DCM or conduction disease. A novel truncating TTN variant (p.Ser24998LysfsTer28) could also be identified in two family members with DCM. Family members with the SCN5a variant (p.C335R) showed significantly longer PQ and QRS intervals and lower left ventricular ejection fractions (LV-EF). All four patients who received CRT-D were non-responders. Electrophysiological analysis with Xenopus oocytes showed a loss of function in SCN5a p.C335R. Na+ channel currents were also reduced in iPSC-CMs from DCM patients. Furthermore, iPSC-CM with compound heterozygosity (SCN5a p.C335R and TTNtv) showed significant dysregulation of sarcomere structures, which may be contributed to the severity of the disease and earlier onset of DCM. Conclusion: The SCN5a p.C335R variant is causing a loss of function of peak INa in patients with DCM and cardiac conduction disease. The co-existence of genetic variants in channels and structural genes (e.g., SCN5a p.C335R and TTNtv) increases the severity of the DCM phenotype.