Browsing by Author "Moreno, M"

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    Enhanced resistance to bacterial infection by Erwinia carotovora subsp atroseptica in transgenic potato plants expressing the attacin or the cecropin SB-37 genes
    (1999) Arce, P; Moreno, M; Gutierrez, M; Gebauer, M; Dell'Orto, P; Torres, H; Acuña, I; Oliger, P; Venegas, A; Jordana, X; Kalazich, J; Holuigue, L
    Blackleg and soft rot diseases, caused by the bacterium Erwinia carotovora, are among the diseases that cause important losses in culture and storage of potato. In this paper, we introduced bacterial resistance into potato, via genes encoding for proteins with antibacterial activity. For this purpose, potato clones were transformed either with the gene encoding the acidic attacin protein from Hyalophora cecropia, or with the gene encoding the cecropin analog peptide SB-37. These clones were evaluated for soft rot and blackleg resistance, after inoculation with the bacterial strain Erwinia carotovora subsp. atroseptica T7. Results reported in this paper indicate that a considerable percentage of the potato clones (15-22%) showed increased resistance to bacterial infection, revealed by reduced severity of blackleg or soft rot symptoms. Expression of the transgenes was demonstrated in some of the clones by Northern blot analysis. This is the first report indicating that. expression of the gene encoding for an attacin protein and for the cecropin SB-37 peptide in transgenic potato confers increased resistance to bacterial infection.
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    Expression and regulation of scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) in gall bladder epithelium
    (BMJ PUBLISHING GROUP, 2003) Miquel, JF; Moreno, M; Amigo, L; Molina, H; Mardones, P; Wistuba, II; Rigotti, A
    Background and aims: Biliary lipid absorption by the gall bladder mucosa and the cholesterol content of the gall bladder wall appear to play a role in cholesterol gall stone formation. As the scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) regulates cellular cholesterol uptake, we studied its expression in human and murine gall bladders, its regulation by increased biliary lipid content, and its role in gall stone formation.
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    Expression of the chicken lysozyme gene in potato enhances resistance to infection by Erwinia carotovora subsp, Atroseptica
    (2000) Serrano, C; Arce-Johnson, P; Torres, H; Gebauer, M; Gutierrez, M; Moreno, M; Jordana, X; Venegas, A; Kalazich, J; Holuigue, L
    Infection of potato plants and tubers with the bacterium Erwinia carotovora subsp, atroseptica produces blackleg and soft rot diseases, which cause significant losses to crops and stored potatoes. In order to obtain resistance against this bacterium, the gene chly encoding the enzyme lysozyme from chicken was introduced into potato plants (cv. Desiree) via Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Sixty-three and 69 transgenic potato clones were evaluated in the greenhouse for resistance to blackleg and soft rot diseases, respectively. Results reported in this paper indicate that 21%-29% of the potato clones showed increased resistance to infection by the bacterium E. c, subsp, atroseptica T7, as revealed by a reduced severity of blackleg or soft rot symptoms. Nine clones showing different levels of resistance were selected for further molecular analysis. The number of copies of the transgene integrated in the plant genome of these clones was estimated by Southern blot analysis. The level of transgene expression, detected by Northern blot analysis, correlated with the level of resistance detected in these clones.
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    Hepatic cholesterol and bile acid metabolism and intestinal cholesterol absorption in scavenger receptor class B type I-deficient mice
    (LIPID RESEARCH INC, 2001) Mardones, P; Quinones, V; Amigo, L; Moreno, M; Miquel, JF; Schwarz, M; Miettinen, HE; Trigatti, B; Krieger, M; VanPatten, S; Cohen, DE; Rigotti, A
    The scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI), which is expressed in the liver and intestine, plays a critical role in cholesterol metabolism in rodents. While hepatic SR-BI expression controls high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol metabolism, intestinal SR-BI has been proposed to facilitate cholesterol absorption. To evaluate further the relevance of SR-BI in the enterohepatic circulation of cholesterol and bile salts, we studied biliary lipid secretion, hepatic sterol content and synthesis, bile acid metabolism, fecal neutral sterol excretion, and intestinal cholesterol absorption in SR-BI knockout mice. SR-BI deficiency selectively impaired biliary cholesterol secretion, without concomitant changes in either biliary bile acid or phospholipid secretion. Hepatic total and unesterified cholesterol contents were slightly increased in SR-BI-deficient mice, while sterol synthesis was not significantly changed, Bile acid pool size and composition, as well as fecal bile acid excretion, were not altered in SR-BI knockout mice. Intestinal cholesterol absorption was somewhat increased and fecal sterol excretion was slightly decreased in SR-BI knockout mice relative to controls. These findings establish the critical role of hepatic SR-BI expression in selectively controlling the utilization of HDL cholesterol for biliary secretion. In contrast, SR-BI expression is not essential for intestinal cholesterol absorption.
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    Hepatic overexpression of caveolins increases bile salt secretion in mice
    (WILEY, 2003) Moreno, M; Molina, H; Amigo, L; Zanlungo, S; Arrese, M; Rigotti, A; Miquel, JF
    Caveolins are cholesterol-binding proteins involved in the regulation of several intracellular processes, including cholesterol transport. Because hepatocytes express caveolin-1 and caveolin-2, these proteins might modulate hepatic lipid metabolism and biliary lipid secretion. Our aim was to investigate the potential physiologic role of caveolins in hepatic cholesterol and bile salt (BS) metabolism and transport using adenoviral gene transfer. C57BL/6 mice were infected with recombinant human caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 adenoviruses. Mice infected with adenovirus lacking the transgene were used as controls. Hepatic caveolin expression was evaluated by immunochemical methods. Reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and immunoblotting were used to assess messenger RNA (mRNA) levels and protein mass of BS transporters (sodium taurocholate cotransporting polypeptide [Ntcp] and bile salt export pump [Bsep]). Serum, liver, biliary, and fecal biochemical determinations and BS maximal secretory rate (SRm) were performed by standard methods. Ad.Cav-1- and Ad.Cav-2-infected mice exhibited a 10- and 7-fold increase in hepatic caveolin-1 and caveolin-2 protein expression, respectively. Caveolin-1-overexpressing mice had a significant increase in plasma high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and hepatic free cholesterol content, whereas total plasma cholesterol and triglyceride levels remained unchanged. Hepatic caveolin-1 and/or caveolin-2 overexpression significantly increased bile flow and secretion of all biliary lipids. Caveolin-1-overexpressing mice showed a 2.5-fold increase in taurocholate (TC) SRm, indicating increased canalicular BS transport capacity. BS pool size and fecal BS excretion remained within the normal range in mice with Cav-1 overexpression. No changes were seen in the protein mass of BS transporters NtcP and Bsep. In conclusion, our findings indicate that caveolins may play an important role in regulating hepatic BS and cholesterol metabolism.
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    Relation between oxidative stress, catecholamines, and impaired chronotropic response to exercise in patients with chronic heart failure secondary to ischemic or idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy
    (2003) Castro, PF; Greig, D; Pérez, O; Moraga, F; Chiong, M; Díaz-Araya, G; Padilla, I; Nazzal, C; Jalil, JE; Vukasovic, JL; Moreno, M; Corbalán, R; Lavandero, S
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    Syndecan-4 regulates non-canonical Wnt signalling and is essential for convergent and extension movements in Xenopus embryos
    (2006) Muñoz, R; Moreno, M; Oliva, C; Orbenes, C; Larraín, J
    Early shaping of Xenopus laevis embryos occurs through convergent and extension movements, a process that is driven by intercalation of polarized dorsal mesodermal cells and regulated by non-canonical Wnt signalling(1-3). Here, we have identified Xenopus syndecan-4 (xSyn4), a cell-surface transmembrane heparan sulphate proteoglycan. At the gastrula stage, xSyn4 is expressed in the involuting dorsal mesoderm and the anterior neuroectoderm. Later, it is found in the pronephros, branchial arches, brain and tailbud. Both gain- and loss-of-function of xSyn4 impaired convergent extension movements in Xenopus embryos and in activin-treated ectodermal explants. xSyn4 interacts functionally and biochemically with the Wnt receptor Frizzled7 (xFz7) and its signal transducer Dishevelled (xDsh). Furthermore, xSyn4 is necessary and sufficient for translocation of xDsh to the plasma membrane - a landmark in the activation of non-canonical Wnt signalling(1-3). Our results suggest that the ability of xSyn4 to translocate xDsh is regulated by fibronectin, a component of the extracellular matrix required for proper convergent extension movements(4-6). We propose a model where xSyn4 and fibronectin cooperate with xFz7 and Wnt in the specific activation of the non-canonical Wnt pathway.