Increasing evidence suggests that iron-mediated oxidative stress might underlie the development of neurodegeneration in Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), an autosomal recessive ataxia caused by decreased expression of frataxin, a protein implicated in iron metabolism. In this study, we demonstrate that, in fibroblasts of patients with FRDA, the cellular redox equilibrium is shifted toward more protein-bound glutathione. Furthermore, we found that actin is glutathionylated, probably as a result of the accumulation of reactive oxygen species, generated by iron overload in the disease. Indeed, highpressure liquid chromatography analysis of control fibroblasts in vivo treated with FeSO 4 showed a significant increase in the protein-bound/free GSH ratio, and Western blot analysis indicated a relevant rise in glutathionylation. Actin glutathionylation contributes to impaired microfilament organization in FRDA fibroblasts. Rhodamine phalloidin staining revealed a disarray of actin filaments and a reduced signal of F-actin fluorescence. The same hematoxylin/eosin-stained cells showed abnormalities in size and shape. When we treated FRDA fibroblasts with reduced glutathione, we obtained a complete rescue of cytoskeletal abnormalities and cell viability. Thus, we conclude that oxidative stress may induce actin glutathionylation and impairment of cytoskeletal functions in FRDA fibroblasts.Oxidative stress has been proposed to underlie neurodegeneration in Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA), 1 the most common of the hereditary ataxias, caused by severely reduced levels of frataxin, a protein implicated in iron metabolism. FRDA is characterized by degeneration of the large sensory neurons and spinocerebellar tracts, cardiomyopathy, and increased incidence of diabetes. Most patients (95%) are homozygous for the hyperexpansion of a GAA repeat sequence in the first intron of the frataxin gene; a few are heterozygous for a GAA expansion and a point mutation (1-3). Data from yeast suggest that frataxin deficiency results in iron accumulation within mitochondria and increased sensitivity to oxidative stress (4, 5). Mouse models for FRDA exhibit cardiomyopathy, sensory nerve defects, and Fe-S enzyme deficiency followed by intramitochondrial iron deposits (6). Patients with FRDA have iron deposits in the heart, increased mitochondrial iron in fibroblasts, and greater sensitivity to oxidative stress by pro-oxidants such as FeCl 3 and hydrogen peroxide (3,7,8). Furthermore, a defective mitochondrial respiratory chain has been found in FRDA tissues, in association with iron accumulation and moderate decreases in mtDNA levels (9, 10).Iron is a crucial reagent in the Fenton reaction, as it can react with mitochondrially generated superoxide anion (O 2 . ) to produce the toxic hydroxyl radical (OH ⅐ ), and iron-mediated oxidative stress has been hypothesized to underlie the pathophysiology of the disease. Increased levels of oxidative stress markers such as plasma malondialdehyde and urine 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine have been found in patients with F...

In several neurodegenerative diseases, axonal degeneration occurs before neuronal death and contributes significantly to patients’ disability. Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a genetically heterogeneous condition characterized by selective degeneration of axons of the corticospinal tracts and fasciculus gracilis. HSP may therefore be considered an exemplary disease to study the local programs mediating axonal degeneration. We have developed a mouse model for autosomal recessive HSP due to mutations in the SPG7 gene encoding the mitochondrial ATPase paraplegin. Paraplegin-deficient mice are affected by a distal axonopathy of spinal and peripheral axons, characterized by axonal swelling and degeneration. We found that mitochondrial morphological abnormalities occurred in synaptic terminals and in distal regions of axons long before the first signs of swelling and degeneration and correlated with onset of motor impairment during a rotarod test. Axonal swellings occur through massive accumulation of organelles and neurofilaments, suggesting impairment of anterograde axonal transport. Retrograde axonal transport is delayed in symptomatic mice. We speculate that local failure of mitochondrial function may affect axonal transport and cause axonal degeneration. Our data suggest that a timely therapeutic intervention may prevent the loss of axons

BackgroundReceptor activator of NFkB (RANK), its ligand (RANKL) and the decoy receptor of RANKL (osteoprotegerin, OPG) play a pivotal role in bone remodeling by regulating osteoclasts formation and activity. RANKL stimulates migration of RANK-expressing tumor cells in vitro, conversely inhibited by OPG.Materials and MethodsWe examined mRNA expression levels of RANKL/RANK/OPG in a publicly available microarray dataset of 295 primary breast cancer patients. We next analyzed RANK expression by immunohistochemistry in an independent series of 93 primary breast cancer specimens and investigated a possible association with clinicopathological parameters, bone recurrence and survival.ResultsMicroarray analysis showed that lower RANK and high OPG mRNA levels correlate with longer overall survival (P = 0.0078 and 0.0335, respectively) and disease-free survival (P = 0.059 and 0.0402, respectively). Immunohistochemical analysis of RANK showed a positive correlation with the development of bone metastases (P = 0.023) and a shorter skeletal disease-free survival (SDFS, P = 0.037). Specifically, univariate analysis of survival showed that “RANK-negative” and “RANK-positive” patients had a SDFS of 105.7 months (95% CI: 73.9–124.4) and 58.9 months (95% CI: 34.7–68.5), respectively. RANK protein expression was also associated with accelerated bone metastasis formation in a multivariate analysis (P = 0.029).ConclusionsThis is the first demonstration of the role of RANK expression in primary tumors as a predictive marker of bone metastasis occurrence and SDFS in a large population of breast cancer patients.

No abstract

In a clinical setting involving CHD patients, the EQ-5D-5L was shown to be feasible and with promising levels of performance. Our findings suggest that the 5L performs better in at least some of the properties analyzed, and encourage further research to also test other psychometric properties of this new version of the EQ-5D.