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[Computer program for diagnosis, monitoring, and prophylaxis of cardiovascular diseases].

Cardiovascular diseases remain the main cause of death among adult population; their incidence can be reduced only using an effective system of primary and secondary prevention. The aim of our study was to develop software for automated recognition of cardiovascular risk factors, prognosis, and evaluation of dyslipoproteinemia phenotypes in lipid centers. Prognostic indexes, lipidogram values are estimated, and the program detects the risk factors (overweight, poor physical training, irrational nutrition, tobacco smoking, etc.) and predicts the summary risk of coronary disease. Neuronal network was used for evaluating the types of dyslipoproteinemias and for cardiovascular prognosis. The input vectors were lipid and lipoprotein concentrations. Output neurons were diagnostic signs of dislipoproteinemia phenotypes or cardiovascular prognosis.

Adult↗

Phenotyping the haemostatic system by thrombography--potential for the estimation of thrombotic risk.

The aim of this paper is to review the thrombogram and its use for phenotyping the haemostatic system. The thrombogram can be readily obtained through Calibrated Automated Thrombography (CAT), using a commercially available fluorometer, dedicated software (Thrombinoscope) and a calibrator. Here we explore the possibility to use platelet-rich plasma (PRP) triggered with a low amount of recombinant human tissue factor (approximately 0.5 pM) and also explore the function of the protein C system by adding activated protein C (APC) or soluble recombinant thrombomodulin (TM). Examples are shown: inherited antithrombin (AT) and protein C deficiencies, and antiphospholipid antibodies.

Anticoagulants↗

Dereplication by automated ribotyping of a competitive exclusion culture bacterial isolate library.

Concerns over the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria within the food animal industry have intensified the search for natural approaches to the prevention and treatment of bacterial diseases. Competitive exclusion cultures are the foundation of a disease-management strategy based on the use of benign bacterial strains to prevent the establishment of pathogenic bacteria within a specific host. Differentiation of phenotypically ambiguous isolates is a critical step in establishing a manageable library of bacteria for use in the development of defined competitive exclusion cultures. We used automated ribotyping techniques to dereplicate a large collection of phenotypically ambiguous isolates from a continuous-flow competitive exclusion culture. A total of 157 isolates were screened following an EcoRI restriction enzyme digestion. The 157 isolates were resolved into 23 ribogroups, which represents an 85% reduction in the number of isolates in the bacterial isolate library. Seventy-six percent of the isolates fit into one of five ribogroups. This work demonstrated that automated ribotyping is an effective and efficient tool for dereplication of diverse bacterial isolate libraries.

Antibiosis↗

High-throughput RNAi screening by time-lapse imaging of live human cells.

RNA interference (RNAi) is a powerful tool to study gene function in cultured cells. Transfected cell microarrays in principle allow high-throughput phenotypic analysis after gene knockdown by microscopy. But bottlenecks in imaging and data analysis have limited such high-content screens to endpoint assays in fixed cells and determination of global parameters such as viability. Here we have overcome these limitations and developed an automated platform for high-content RNAi screening by time-lapse fluorescence microscopy of live HeLa cells expressing histone-GFP to report on chromosome segregation and structure. We automated all steps, including printing transfection-ready small interfering RNA (siRNA) microarrays, fluorescence imaging and computational phenotyping of digital images, in a high-throughput workflow. We validated this method in a pilot screen assaying cell division and delivered a sensitive, time-resolved phenoprint for each of the 49 endogenous genes we suppressed. This modular platform is scalable and makes the power of time-lapse microscopy available for genome-wide RNAi screens.

Automation↗

Rapid phenotyping of HPA-1a using either diabody-based hemagglutination or recombinant IgG1-based assays.

BACKGROUND: The HPA-1 system is carried on the beta3 integrin. HPA-1a (Zw(a), Pl(A1)) is immunogenic in an HPA-1b homozygote (HPA-1b1b). In pregnancy, 1 of 365 women forms anti-HPA-1a, which causes severe thrombocytopenia in 1 in 1100 neonates. Identification of women at risk of forming anti-HPA-1a and the screening of donors to obtain HPA-1a-negative platelets for therapy need reliable, low-cost, automated assays. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS: A diabody with dual specificity for HPA-1a x D and an IgG1 anti-HPA-1a have been constructed by the use of the genes encoding the first anti-HPA-1a fragment. With these reagents, two complementary HPA-1a phenotyping assays have been developed. RESULTS: This diabody was used in a simple hemagglutination technique to perform HPA-1a phenotyping on soluble glycoprotein IIb/IIIa from EDTA plasma samples. Over 1000 unselected donors have been correctly HPA-1a-phenotyped by use of the diabody. The human recombinant IgG1 anti-HPA-1a was produced in a rat myeloma cell line and was fluorescein labeled for use in a whole-blood flow cytometric HPA-1a phenotyping assay. This IgG1 anti-HPA-1a shows a clear differential between HPA-1a-positive and HPA-1a-negative platelets at nM antibody concentrations. CONCLUSIONS: The two recombinant reagents described are highly suitable for screening and confirmatory HPA-1a phenotyping. They permit rapid determination of the HPA-1a phenotype and are amenable to automation.

Antigens, CD↗

Automated measurement of cell motility and proliferation.

BACKGROUND: Time-lapse microscopic imaging provides a powerful approach for following changes in cell phenotype over time. Visible responses of whole cells can yield insight into functional changes that underlie physiological processes in health and disease. For example, features of cell motility accompany molecular changes that are central to the immune response, to carcinogenesis and metastasis, to wound healing and tissue regeneration, and to the myriad developmental processes that generate an organism. Previously reported image processing methods for motility analysis required custom viewing devices and manual interactions that may introduce bias, that slow throughput, and that constrain the scope of experiments in terms of the number of treatment variables, time period of observation, replication and statistical options. Here we describe a fully automated system in which images are acquired 24/7 from 384 well plates and are automatically processed to yield high-content motility and morphological data. RESULTS: We have applied this technology to study the effects of different extracellular matrix compounds on human osteoblast-like cell lines to explore functional changes that may underlie processes involved in bone formation and maintenance. We show dose-response and kinetic data for induction of increased motility by laminin and collagen type I without significant effects on growth rate. Differential motility response was evident within 4 hours of plating cells; long-term responses differed depending upon cell type and surface coating. Average velocities were increased approximately 0.1 microm/min by ten-fold increases in laminin coating concentration in some cases. Comparison with manual tracking demonstrated the accuracy of the automated method and highlighted the comparative imprecision of human tracking for analysis of cell motility data. Quality statistics are reported that associate with stage noise, interference by non-cell objects, and uncertainty in the outlining and positioning of cells by automated image analysis. Exponential growth, as monitored by total cell area, did not linearly correlate with absolute cell number, but proved valuable for selection of reliable tracking data and for disclosing between-experiment variations in cell growth. CONCLUSION: These results demonstrate the applicability of a system that uses fully automated image acquisition and analysis to study cell motility and growth. Cellular motility response is determined in an unbiased and comparatively high throughput manner. Abundant ancillary data provide opportunities for uniform filtering according to criteria that select for biological relevance and for providing insight into features of system performance. Data quality measures have been developed that can serve as a basis for the design and quality control of experiments that are facilitated by automation and the 384 well plate format. This system is applicable to large-scale studies such as drug screening and research into effects of complex combinations of factors and matrices on cell phenotype.

Automation↗

Quantitative localization of heterogeneous methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2) expression phenotypes in normal and Rett syndrome brain by laser scanning cytometry.

Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked, dominant neurodevelopmental disorder caused by mutations in MECP2, encoding the methyl-CpG-binding protein 2 (MeCP2). A major paradox in the pathogenesis of RTT is how mutations in ubiquitously transcribed MECP2 result in a phenotype specific to the central nervous system (CNS) during postnatal development. To address this question, we have used a novel approach for quantitating the level and distribution of wild-type and mutant MeCP2 in situ by immunofluorescence and laser scanning cytometry. Surprisingly, cellular heterogeneity in MeCP2 expression level was observed in normal brain with a subpopulation of cells exhibiting high expression (MeCP2(hi)) and the remainder exhibiting low expression (MeCP2(lo)). MeCP2 expression was significantly higher in CNS compared with non-CNS tissues of human and mouse by automated quantitation of MeCP2 on multiple tissue arrays. Quantitative localization of MeCP2 expression phenotypes in normal human brain showed a mosaic, but distinct, distribution pattern, with MeCP2(hi) neurons highest in layer IV of the cerebrum and MeCP2(lo )neurons highest in the granular layer of the cerebellum. In female RTT brains, MECP2 mutant-expressing cells were identified as cells negative for the MeCP2 C-terminal epitope. MECP2 mutant-expressing cells were randomly localized in Rett cerebrum and cerebellum and showed normal MeCP2 expression with N-terminal-specific anti-MeCP2. These results demonstrate a CNS-specific cellular phenotype of MeCP2 high expression and suggest that MECP2 mutations in RTT are only manifested in MeCP2(hi) cells. In addition, our results demonstrate the power of laser scanning cytometry in examining complex cellular phenotypes in disease pathogenesis.

Animals↗

Diagnostic molecular pathology in the twenty-first century.

Diagnostic molecular pathology is expanding rapidly with the aid of the Human Genome Project and the development of potentially user-friendly molecular diagnostic methods. The diagnostic molecular pathology laboratory of the future must be prepared to purify DNA or RNA from a variety of sources and to investigate the sequence of the target genome of interest using automated amplification and hybridization detection systems. There will be a shift in the emphasis from phenotypic to genotypic diagnosis, and the diagnostic molecular pathology laboratory of the early twenty-first century will perform 5% to 10% of the volume of all laboratory testing.

Automation↗

Identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci other than Staphylococcus epidermidis by automated ribotyping.

As routine identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci is problematic, the performance of automated ribotyping was evaluated for identification of coagulase-negative staphylococci other than Staphylococcus epidermidis. In total, 177 isolates were tested, comprising 149 isolates from blood samples, 15 isolates that were not identified by internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-PCR in a previous study, and 13 reference strains. The identification results were compared with those obtained by the API 20 Staph system, with standard phenotypic and molecular methods as reference. Most (n = 166; 93.8%) isolates were identified correctly by automated ribotyping. For 61 isolates, API 20 Staph and ribotyping were in agreement, but for 105 isolates, ribotyping provided correct identification and API 20 Staph did not. Four isolates not identified by automated ribotyping were recognised correctly by API 20 Staph. The remaining seven isolates could not be identified by either of the two methods. Automated ribotyping was able to distinguish Staphylococcus capitis reliably from Staphylococcus caprae. The results demonstrate the value of automated ribotyping for identification of coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) isolates from human sources and may help to clarify the clinical relevance of CoNS species. In addition, automated ribotyping was able to detect polymorphisms that may be useful for epidemiological purposes within S. capitis, Staphylococcus hominis, Staphylococcus haemolyticus, Staphylococcus simulans, S. caprae, Staphylococcus warneri, Staphylococcus lugdunensis, Staphylococcus schleiferi, Staphylococcus sciuri, Staphylococcus pasteuri and Staphylococcus xylosus.

Phenotype↗

Integrating computationally assembled mouse transcript sequences with the Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) database.

Databases of experimentally generated and computationally derived transcript sequences are valuable resources for genome analysis and annotation. The utility of such databases is enhanced when the sequences they contain are integrated with such biological information as genomic location, gene function, gene expression and phenotypic variation. We present the analysis and results of a semi-automated process of connecting transcript assemblies with highly curated biological information for mouse genes that is available through the Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) database.

Animals↗

[In vitro study of the directed inducing cartilage cells from rat bone mesenchymal stem cells on scaffolds].

This study was conducted to assess the cell proliferation and cell cycle of the directed inducing cartilage cells from rat bone mesenchymal stem cells on collagen sponge and compare the results with those of the plane inducing cartilage cells. The MSCs were isolated from rat bone marrow by density gradient centrifuge and adhesive property, and then were induced into chondrogenic differentiation by adding transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1), dexamethasone, transferring and insulin on collage sponge and plane condition. Immunohistochemistry was applied to detect the expression of collagen type II on the scaffolds and plane conditions. The cell proliferation and cell cycle on different conditions were detected with MTT automated colormetric microassay and flow cytometry. The differentiation of MSCs toward chondrogenic phenotype was verified by the positive result of collagen type II on the scaffolds and plane condition. The cell viability in scaffolds was better than that in plane conditions. The S phase and G2 phase were 30 percent in whole cell cycle on the scaffold, which was different from that of the control groups. The method of using the Using directed inducing cartilage from bone MSCs combined with collage sponge to construct tissue-engineered cartilage is feasible; it is better than the method of plane directed inducing.

Animals↗

Microfluidic isolation of leukocytes from whole blood for phenotype and gene expression analysis.

Technologies that enable the isolation of cell subtypes from small samples of complex populations will greatly facilitate the implementation of proteomics and genomics to human diseases. Transcriptome analysis of blood requires the depletion of contaminating erythrocytes. We report an automated microfluidic device to rapidly deplete erythrocytes from whole blood via deionized water lysis and to collect enriched leukocytes for phenotype and genomic analyses. Starting with blood from healthy subjects, we demonstrate the utility of this microfluidic cassette and lysis protocol to prepare unstimulated leukocytes, and leukocytes stimulated ex vivo with Staphylococcal enterotoxin B, which mimics some of the cellular effects seen in patients with severe bacterial infections. Microarrays are used to assess the global gene expression response to enterotoxin B. The results demonstrate that this system can isolate unactivated leukocytes from small blood samples without any significant loss, which permits more information to be obtained from subsequent analysis, and will be readily applicable to clinical settings.

Cell Separation↗

Automated microscopy screening for compounds that partially revert cholesterol accumulation in Niemann-Pick C cells.

Niemann-Pick disease type C (NPC) is an autosomal recessive genetic disorder manifested by abnormal accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and other lipids. We screened combinatorially synthesized chemical libraries to identify compounds that would partially revert cholesterol accumulation. Cultured CHO cells with NPC phenotypes (CT60 and CT43) were used for screening along with normal CHO cells as a control. We developed an automated microscopy assay based on imaging of filipin fluorescence for estimating cholesterol accumulation in lysosomal storage organelles. Our primary screen of 14,956 compounds identified 14 hit compounds that caused significant reduction in cellular cholesterol accumulation at 10 microM. We then screened a secondary library of 3,962 compounds selected based on chemical similarity to the initial hits and identified 7 compounds that demonstrated greater efficacy and lower toxicity than the original hits. These compounds are effective at concentrations of 123 nM to 3 microM in reducing the cholesterol accumulation in cells with a NPC1 phenotype.

Androstenes↗

Disease progression of human SOD1 (G93A) transgenic ALS model rats.

The recent development of a rat model of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) in which the rats harbor a mutated human SOD1 (G93A) gene has greatly expanded the range of potential experiments, because the rats' large size permits biochemical analyses and therapeutic trials, such as the intrathecal injection of new drugs and stem cell transplantation. The precise nature of this disease model remains unclear. We described three disease phenotypes: the forelimb-, hindlimb-, and general-types. We also established a simple, non-invasive, and objective evaluation system using the body weight, inclined plane test, cage activity, automated motion analysis system (SCANET), and righting reflex. Moreover, we created a novel scale, the Motor score, which can be used with any phenotype and does not require special apparatuses. With these methods, we uniformly and quantitatively assessed the onset, progression, and disease duration, and clearly presented the variable clinical course of this model; disease progression after the onset was more aggressive in the forelimb-type than in the hindlimb-type. More importantly, the disease stages defined by our evaluation system correlated well with the loss of spinal motor neurons. In particular, the onset of muscle weakness coincided with the loss of approximately 50% of spinal motor neurons. This study should provide a valuable tool for future experiments to test potential ALS therapies.

Aging↗

A functional genomic analysis of cell morphology using RNA interference.

BACKGROUND: The diversity of metazoan cell shapes is influenced by the dynamic cytoskeletal network. With the advent of RNA-interference (RNAi) technology, it is now possible to screen systematically for genes controlling specific cell-biological processes, including those required to generate distinct morphologies. RESULTS: We adapted existing RNAi technology in Drosophila cell culture for use in high-throughput screens to enable a comprehensive genetic dissection of cell morphogenesis. To identify genes responsible for the characteristic shape of two morphologically distinct cell lines, we performed RNAi screens in each line with a set of double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs) targeting 994 predicted cell shape regulators. Using automated fluorescence microscopy to visualize actin filaments, microtubules and DNA, we detected morphological phenotypes for 160 genes, one-third of which have not been previously characterized in vivo. Genes with similar phenotypes corresponded to known components of pathways controlling cytoskeletal organization and cell shape, leading us to propose similar functions for previously uncharacterized genes. Furthermore, we were able to uncover genes acting within a specific pathway using a co-RNAi screen to identify dsRNA suppressors of a cell shape change induced by Pten dsRNA. CONCLUSIONS: Using RNAi, we identified genes that influence cytoskeletal organization and morphology in two distinct cell types. Some genes exhibited similar RNAi phenotypes in both cell types, while others appeared to have cell-type-specific functions, in part reflecting the different mechanisms used to generate a round or a flat cell morphology.

Animals↗

PCR-based strategy for the diagnosis of hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies and Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) and hereditary neuropathy with liability to pressure palsies (HNPP) are inherited peripheral neuropathies. In most cases these disorders are caused by either the duplication (in CMT1A) or the deletion (in HNPP) of a 1.5-megabase DNA fragment on chromosome 17p11.2, which contains the peripheral myelin protein 22 gene (PMP22). We developed a rapid and simple quantitative PCR assay for the detection of the CMT1A duplication or the HNPP deletion. The assay is based on the quantitative determination of the copy number of a 240-base pair DNA fragment from exon 4 of the PMP22 gene. Quantification was done on an automated fluorescence sequencer. Using this method we analyzed four families with the HNPP phenotype. In these families we identified the deletion in all affected individuals. To test the validity of the method, we compared the quantitative PCR results from 50 DNA samples, including 15 samples from individuals with HNPP, 15 samples from CMT1A patients, and 20 from normal controls, with the results obtained by Southern blot analysis. Concordant results were obtained in 49 of the 50 cases.

Blotting, Southern↗

[Standardization and automation of HLA B27 typing by flow cytometry: validation and comparison with microlymphocytotoxicity].

One of the strongest known association between human leukocyte antigen (HLA) phenotype and disease is that of ankylosing spondylitis and HLA-B27. Thus, the determination of HLA-B27 status is an useful tool in the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis. To date, the 2 reference methods for HLA typing (microlymphocytotoxicity and molecular biology techniques), are costly in terms of both technician time and materials, and require a great deal of experience. In total, these techniques are not well-suited for routine application in clinical immunology laboratories. Use of flow cytometry has recently been applied for HLA-B27 typing. Nevertheless, it requires an extensive validation protocol. We developed a flow cytometry technique as standardized as possible (whole blood, automated lysing system, automated photomultiplier voltage calibration, definition of thresholds stable with time) and validated our results by comparison with microlymphocytotoxicity. In total, 326 samples were analyzed. We found 99% of concordant results between the 2 techniques, and neither false positive results nor false negative results with flow cytometry could be observed. These results illustrate the reliability of the protocol. It should be remembered that reference technique remains necessary to confirm the few results (< 1%) found in "grey zone" by flow cytometry. Standardization of flow cytometry techniques, as described in this work for HLA B27, seems to be a reasonable goal for the next decade in clinical immunology laboratories.

Automation↗

Human monoclonal anti-D with reactivity against category DVI cells used in blood grouping and determination of the incidence of the category DVI phenotype in the DU population.

B-lymphoblastoid cell lines transformed by Epstein-Barr virus were produced from cells obtained from a hyperimmunised donor with serum anti-D activity against category DVI red cells and enriched for this activity by rosetting with category DVI red cells. Three clones produced IgG1 anti-D and had stable cell growth and continuous secretion of antibody in prolonged culture. The monoclonal antibodies reacted with category DVI red cells, when assessed manually and in an automated blood grouping system, and are useful blood grouping reagents for the detection of the category DVI phenotype. Using a radiometric technique, the number of antibody molecules bound to category DVI red cells from 5 individuals was estimated to range from 2,800 to 11,200 per cell. Five percent of blood donors classed as Du in the south western region were found to have the category DVI phenotype.

Antibodies, Monoclonal↗