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At least 91 records · Page 5

Organo‐Functionalized Lacunary Double Cubane‐Type Oxometallates: Synthesis, Structure, and Properties of [(M II Cl) 2 (V IV O) 2 {((HOCH 2 CH 2 )(H)N(CH 2 CH 2 O))(HN(CH 2 CH 2 O) 2 )} 2 ] (M=Co, Zn)

Abstract Organofunctionalized tetranuclear clusters [(M II Cl) 2 (V IV O) 2 {((HOCH 2 CH 2 )(H)N(CH 2 CH 2 O))(HN(CH 2 CH 2 O) 2 )} 2 ] (1, M=Co,2: M=Zn) containing an unprecedented oxometallacyclic {M 2 V 2 Cl 2 N 4 O 8 } (M=Co, Zn) framework have been prepared by solvothermal reactions. The new oxo‐alkoxide compounds were fully characterized by spectroscopic methods, magnetic susceptibility measurement, DFT and ab initio computational methods, and complete single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction structure analysis. The isostructural clusters are formed of edge‐sharing octahedral {VO 5 N} and trigonal bipyramidal {MO 3 NCl} units. Diethanolamine ligates the bimetallic lacunary double cubane core of1and2in an unusual two‐mode fashion, unobserved previously. In the crystalline state, the clusters of1and2are joined by hydrogen bonds to form a three‐dimensional network structure. Magnetic susceptibility data indicate weakly antiferromagnetic interactions between the vanadium centers [J iso (V IV −V IV )=−5.4(1); −3.9(2) cm −1 ], and inequivalent antiferromagnetic interactions between the cobalt and vanadium centers [J iso (V IV −Co II )=−12.6 and −7.5 cm −1 ] contained in1.

Chemistry↗

Photophysical and Time‐resolved Infrared Properties of Long‐Lived Rhenium(I) 4,5‐Diazafluorene Tricarbonyl Chromophores

This report investigates the synthesis, structural characterization, fundamental molecular photophysics, electrochemistry, UV-Vis spectroelectrochemistry, and time-resolved infrared spectroscopic properties of eight [fac-Re(dafR)(CO) 3 L] 0/+ complexes, where R=ethyl [(dedaf); 1, 3, 5, 7] or H [(dafH); 2, 4, 6, 8] and L=Cl− (1, 2), imidazole [(Im); 3, 4], 4-ethylpyridine [(4-Etpy); 5, 6], or pyridine [(py); 7, 8]. Universally, 1–8 yield higher energy photoluminescence (PL) emission bands and higher PL quantum yields (up to 53 %) than the classic 2,2’-bipyridine (bpy) and 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) ligated Re(I) tricarbonyl complexes. The excited state lifetimes of 1–8 lie between those corresponding to the bpy and phen derivatives, ranging from 120 and 1300 ns at room temperature. Combinations of reductive UV-Vis spectroelectrochemistry, transient absorption spectroscopy, and time-resolved infrared spectroscopy consistently assigned the lowest excited states in 1–8 being of metal-to-ligand charge transfer (MLCT) character. These new ReI MLCT chromophores follow classic energy gap law behavior and possess the characteristics necessary for serving as valuable photosensitizers suitable to energize excited state electron and energy transfer photochemistry.

Charge transfer↗

Development of molecular cluster models to probe pyrite surface reactivity

Abstract The recent discovery that anaerobic methanogens can reductively dissolve pyrite and utilize dissolution products as a source of iron and sulfur to meet their biosynthetic demands for these elements prompted the development of atomic‐scale nanoparticle models, as maquettes of reactive surface sites, for describing the fundamental redox steps that take place at the mineral surface during reduction. The given report describes our computational approach for modeling n (FeS 2 ) nanoparticles originated from mineral bulk structure. These maquettes contain a comprehensive set of coordinatively unsaturated Fe (II) sites that are connected via a range of persulfide (S 2 2− ) ligation. In addition to the specific maquettes with n = 8, 18, and 32 FeS 2 units, we established guidelines for obtaining low‐energy structures by considering the pattern of ionic, covalent, and magnetic interactions among the metal and ligand sites. The developed models serve as computational nano‐reactors that can be used to describe the reductive dissolution mechanism of pyrite to better understand the reactive sites on the mineral, where microbial extracellular electron‐transfer reactions can occur.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Erratum to: Soft- and reactive landing of ions onto surfaces: concepts and applications

Soft- and reactive landing of mass-selected ions is gaining attention as a promising approach for the precisely-controlled preparation of materials on surfaces that are not amenable to deposition using conventional methods. A broad range of ionization sources and mass filters are available that make ion soft-landing a versatile tool for surface modification using beams of hyperthermal (<100?eV) ions. The ability to select the mass-to-charge ratio of the ion, its kinetic energy and charge state, along with precise control of the size, shape, and position of the ion beam on the deposition target distinguishes ion soft landing from other surface modification techniques. Soft- and reactive landing have been used to prepare interfaces for practical applications as well as precisely-defined model surfaces for fundamental investigations in chemistry, physics, and materials science. For instance, soft- and reactive landing have been applied to study the surface chemistry of ions isolated in the gas-phase, prepare arrays of proteins for high-throughput biological screening, produce novel carbon-based and polymer materials, enrich the secondary structure of peptides and the chirality of organic molecules, immobilize electrochemically-active proteins and organometallics on electrodes, create thin films of complex molecules, and immobilize catalytically active organometallics as well as ligated metal clusters. In addition, soft landing has enabled investigation of the size-dependent behavior of bare metal clusters in the critical subnanometer size regime where chemical and physical properties do not scale predictably with size. The morphology, aggregation, and immobilization of larger bare metal nanoparticles, which are directly relevant to the design of catalysts as well as improved memory and electronic devices, have also been studied using ion soft landing. This review article begins in section 1 with a brief introduction to the existing applications of ion soft- and reactive landing. Section 2 provides an overview of the ionization sources and mass filters that have been used to date for soft landing of mass-selected ions. A discussion of the competing processes that occur during ion deposition as well as the types of ions and surfaces that have been investigated follows in section 3. Section 4 discusses the physical phenomena that occur during and after ion soft landing, including retention and reduction of ionic charge along with factors that impact the efficiency of ion deposition. The influence of soft landing on the secondary structure and biological activity of complex ions is addressed in section 5. Lastly, an overview of the structure and mobility as well as the catalytic, optical, magnetic, and redox properties of bare ionic clusters and nanoparticles deposited onto surfaces is presented in section 6. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Mass Spec Rev 35:439–479, 2016.

Johnson, Grant E.↗

Solution structure for an Encephalitozoon cuniculi adrenodoxin-like protein in the oxidized state

Encephalitozoon cuniculi is a unicellular, obligate intracellular eukaryotic parasite in the Microsporidia family and one of the agents responsible for microsporidosis infections in humans. Like most Microsporidia, the genome of E. cuniculi is markedly reduced and the organism contains mitochondria-like organelles called mitosomes instead of mitochondria. Here we report the solution NMR structure for a protein physically associated with mitosome-like organelles in E. cuniculi, the 128-residue, adrenodoxin-like protein Ec-Adx (UniProt ID Q8SV19) in the [2Fe-2S] ferredoxin superfamily. Oxidized Ec-Adx contains a mixed four-strand β-sheet, β2-β1-β4-β3 (↓↑↑↓), loosely encircled by three α-helices and two 310-helices. This fold is similar to the structure observed in other adrenodoxin and adrenodoxin-like proteins except for the absence of a fifth anti-parallel β-strand next to β3 and the position of α3. Cross peaks are missing or cannot be unambiguously assigned for 20 amide resonances in the 1 H- 15 N HSQC spectrum of Ec-Adx. These missing residues are clustered primarily in two regions, G48-V61 and L94-L98, containing the four cysteine residues predicted to ligate the paramagnetic [2Fe-2S] cluster. Missing amide resonances in 1 H- 15 N HSQC spectra are detrimental to NMR-based solution structure calculations because 1 H- 1 H NOE restraints are absent (glass half-empty) and this may account for the absent β-strand (β5) and the position of α3 in oxidized Ec-Adx. On the other hand, the missing amide resonances unambiguously identify the presence, and immediate environment, of the paramagnetic [2Fe-2S] cluster in oxidized Ec-Adx (glass half-full).

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

X‐ray scattering reveals disordered linkers and dynamic interfaces in complexes and mechanisms for DNA double‐strand break repair impacting cell and cancer biology

Abstract Evolutionary selection ensures specificity and efficiency in dynamic metastable macromolecular machines that repair DNA damage without releasing toxic and mutagenic intermediates. Here we examine non‐homologous end joining (NHEJ) as the primary conserved DNA double‐strand break (DSB) repair process in human cells. NHEJ has exemplary key roles in networks determining the development, outcome of cancer treatments by DSB‐inducing agents, generation of antibody and T‐cell receptor diversity, and innate immune response for RNA viruses. We determine mechanistic insights into NHEJ structural biochemistry focusing upon advanced small angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) results combined with X‐ray crystallography (MX) and cryo‐electron microscopy (cryo‐EM). SAXS coupled to atomic structures enables integrated structural biology for objective quantitative assessment of conformational ensembles and assemblies in solution, intra‐molecular distances, structural similarity, functional disorder, conformational switching, and flexibility. Importantly, NHEJ complexes in solution undergo larger allosteric transitions than seen in their cryo‐EM or MX structures. In the long‐range synaptic complex, X‐ray repair cross‐complementing 4 (XRCC4) plus XRCC4‐like‐factor (XLF) form a flexible bridge and linchpin for DNA ends bound to KU heterodimer (Ku70/80) and DNA‐PKcs (DNA‐dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit). Upon binding two DNA ends, auto‐phosphorylation opens DNA‐PKcs dimer licensing NHEJ via concerted conformational transformations of XLF‐XRCC4, XLF–Ku80, and LigIV BRCT –Ku70 interfaces. Integrated structures reveal multifunctional roles for disordered linkers and modular dynamic interfaces promoting DSB end processing and alignment into the short‐range complex for ligation by LigIV. Integrated findings define dynamic assemblies fundamental to designing separation‐of‐function mutants and allosteric inhibitors targeting conformational transitions in multifunctional complexes.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Structural and biochemical analyses of selectivity determinants in chimeric Streptococcus Class A sortase enzymes

Abstract Sequence variation in related proteins is an important characteristic that modulates activity and selectivity. An example of a protein family with a large degree of sequence variation is that of bacterial sortases, which are cysteine transpeptidases on the surface of gram‐positive bacteria. Class A sortases are responsible for attachment of diverse proteins to the cell wall to facilitate environmental adaption and interaction. These enzymes are also used in protein engineering applications for sortase‐mediated ligations (SML) or sortagging of protein targets. We previously investigated SrtA from Streptococcus pneumoniae , identifying a number of putative β7–β8 loop‐mediated interactions that affected in vitro enzyme function. We identified residues that contributed to the ability of S. pneumoniae SrtA to recognize several amino acids at the P1′ position of the substrate motif, underlined in LPXT G , in contrast to the strict P1′ Gly recognition of SrtA from Staphylococcus aureus . However, motivated by the lack of a structural model for the active, monomeric form of S. pneumoniae SrtA, here, we expanded our studies to other Streptococcus SrtA proteins. We solved the first monomeric structure of S. agalactiae SrtA which includes the C‐terminus, and three others of β7–β8 loop chimeras from S. pyogenes and S. agalactiae SrtA. These structures and accompanying biochemical data support our previously identified β7–β8 loop‐mediated interactions and provide additional insight into their role in Class A sortase substrate selectivity. A greater understanding of individual SrtA sequence and structural determinants of target selectivity may also facilitate the design or discovery of improved sortagging tools.

Gao, Melody↗

Discovery of a Ferromagnetic Nickel Chalcogenide Nanocluster Ni 3 S 3 H(PEt 3 ) 5

Atomically precise ligated nanoclusters (NC) are promising cluster-based materials with novel molecular architectures and tunable magnetic properties. Herein, the synthesis and characterization of a nickel sulfide NC Ni 3 S 3 H(PEt 3 ) 5 (PEt 3 = triethylphosphine) with distinct magnetic properties are reported. Magnetization measurements reveal its magnetic moment of 1.5 µ B in the solid phase, consistent with the existence of one unpaired electron predicted by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Additionally, experimental measurements indicate the presence of ferromagnetic ordering within each Ni 3 S 3 H(PEt 3 ) 5 NC and strong coercivity at temperatures below 20 K. Ion mobility-mass spectrometry is employed in conjunction with DFT calculations and collision cross-section simulations to investigate the structure of the isolated Ni 3 S 3 H(PEt 3 ) 5 . Theoretical studies show that [Ni 3 S 3 H(PEt 3 ) 5 ] + has a planar Ni 3 S 3 core where three Ni atoms are arranged in a triangle with three bridging S atoms residing in the same plane. This structure is preserved in both solution and solid phases, which is confirmed by spectroscopic studies of Ni 3 S 3 H(PEt 3 ) 5 . Additionally, DFT calculations indicate that all spins at the Ni sites are aligned parallel, confirming the presence of ferromagnetic coupling. Overall, this study provides key insights into the structure and magnetic properties of Ni 3 S 3 H(PEt 3 ) 5 , which will facilitate the design of new NC-based magnetic materials.

Nickel sulfide nanocluster↗

Kinetic modeling of anaerobic degradation of plant-derived aromatic mixtures by Rhodopseudomonas palustris

Abstract Rhodopseudomonas palustris is a model microorganism for studying the anaerobic metabolism of aromatic compounds. While it is well documented which aromatics can serve as sole organic carbon sources, co-metabolism of other aromatics is poorly understood. This study used kinetic modeling to analyze the simultaneous degradation of aromatic compounds present in corn stover hydrolysates and model the co-metabolism of aromatics not known to support growth of R. palustris as sole organic substrates. The simulation predicted that p -coumaroyl amide and feruloyl amide were hydrolyzed to p -coumaric acid and ferulic acid, respectively, and further transformed via p -coumaroyl-CoA and feruloyl-CoA. The modeling also suggested that metabolism of p -hydroxyphenyl aromatics was slowed by substrate inhibition, whereas the transformation of guaiacyl aromatics was inhibited by their p -hydroxyphenyl counterparts. It also predicted that substrate channeling may occur during degradation of p -coumaroyl-CoA and feruloyl-CoA, resulting in no detectable accumulation of p -hydroxybenzaldehyde and vanillin, during the transformation of these CoA ligated compounds to p- hydroxybenzoic acid and vanillic acid, respectively. While the simulation correctly represented the known transformation of p -hydroxybenzoic acid via the benzoyl-CoA pathway, it also suggested co-metabolism of vanillic acid and syringic acid, which are known not to serve as photoheterotrophic growth substrate for R. palustris .

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Rapid quantification of alcohol production in microorganisms based on nanostructure-initiator mass spectrometry (NIMS)

We described a mass spectrometry-based assay to rapidly quantify the production of primary alcohols directly from cell cultures. This novel assay used the combination of TEMPO-based oxidation chemistry and oxime ligation, followed by product analysis based on Nanostructure-Initiator Mass Spectrometry. This assay enables quantitative monitor both C5 to C18 alcohols as well as glucose and gluconate in the growth medium to support strain characterization and optimization. We find that this assay yields similar results to gas chromatography for isoprenol production but required much less acquisition time per sample. We applied this assay to gain new insights into P. Putida's utilization of alcohols and find that this strain largely could not grow on heptanol and octanol.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Markovnikov alcohols via epoxide hydroboration by molecular alkali metal catalysts

Synthesis of branched “Markovnikov” alcohols is crucial to various chemical industries. The catalytic reduction of substituted epoxides under mild conditions is a highly attractive method for preparing such alcohols. Classical methods based on heterogeneous or homogeneous transition metal-catalyzed hydrogenation, hydroboration, or hydrosilylation usually suffer from poor selectivity, reverse regioselectivity, limited functional group compatibility, high cost, and/or low availability of the catalysts. Here we report the discovery of highly regioselective hydroboration of nonsymmetrical epoxides catalyzed by ligated archetypal reductants in organic chemistry – alkali metal triethylborohydrides. The chemoselectivity and turnover efficiencies of the present catalytic approach are excellent. Thus, terminal and internal epoxides with ene, yne, aryl, and halo groups were selectively and quantitatively reduced under a substrate-to-catalyst ratio (S/C) of up to 1000. Mechanistic investigations point to a mechanism reminiscent of frustrated Lewis pair action on substrates in which a nucleophile and Lewis acid act cooperatively on the substrate.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Thermally stable manganese(Ⅲ) peroxido complexes with hindered N3 tripodal ligands: Structures and their physicochemical properties

Mononuclear manganese(III) peroxido complexes are candidates for the reaction intermediates in manganese containing proteins, such as manganese superoxide dismutase (Mn-SOD) etc. In this study, manganese(III) peroxido complexes [Mn(O 2 )(L3)] and [Mn(O 2 )(L10)] ligated by anionic N3 type ligands with sterically hindered substituents, hydrotris(3-tertiary butyl-5-isopropyl-1-pyrazolyl)borate (L3 - ) and hydrotris(3-adamantyl-5-isopropyl-1-pyrazolyl)borate (L10 - ), respectively, were structurally characterized. These complexes are the first examples of structurally characterized five-coordinate manganese(III) peroxido complexes. Their characteristic ν(O—O) and ν(Mn—O) stretchings were determined by using H 2 18 O 2 for the first time. Theoretical calculations were performed to obtain further insight into their structural parameters. The decomposed products were obtained as [{Mn III (μ-O)(L3)} 2 Mn IV ] and [Mn III (OH){L10(O)}] from [Mn(O 2 )(L3)] and [Mn(O 2 )(L10)], respectively.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

A Bis(imidazole)-based cysteine labeling tool for metalloprotein assembly

Precise metal-protein coordination by design remains a considerable challenge. Polydentate, high-metal-affinity protein modifications, both chemical and recombinant, can enable metal localization. However, these constructs are often bulky, conformationally and stereochemically ill-defined, or coordinately saturated. Here, we expand the biomolecular metal-coordination toolbox with the irreversible attachment to cysteine of bis(1-methylimidazol-2-yl)ethene (“BMIE”), which generates a compact imidazole-based metal-coordinating ligand. Conjugate additions of small-molecule thiols (thiocresol and N-Boc-Cys) with BMIE confirm general thiol reactivity. The BMIE adducts are shown to complex the divalent metal ions Cu ++ and Zn ++ in bidentate (N 2 ) and tridentate (N 2 S*) coordination geometries. Cysteine-targeted BMIE modification (>90% yield at pH 8.0) of a model protein, the S203C variant of carboxypeptidase G2 (CPG2), measured with ESI-MS, confirms its utility as a site-selective bioconjugation method. ICP-MS analysis confirms mono-metallation of the BMIE-modified CPG2 protein with Zn ++ , Cu ++ , and Co ++ . EPR characterization of the BMIE-modified CPG2 protein reveals the structural details of the site selective 1:1 BMIE-Cu ++ coordination and symmetric tetragonal geometry under physiological conditions and in the presence of various competing and exchangeable ligands (H 2 O/HO – , tris, and phenanthroline). An X-ray protein crystal structure of BMIE-modified CPG2-S203C demonstrates that the BMIE modification is minimally disruptive to the overall protein structure, including the carboxypeptidase active sites, although Zn ++ metalation could not be conclusively discerned at the resolution obtained. The carboxypeptidase catalytic activity of BMIE-modified CPG2-S203C was also assayed and found to be minimally affected. Finally, these features, combined with ease of attachment, define the new BMIE-based ligation as a versatile metalloprotein design tool, and enable future catalytic and structural applications.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

Structural and mechanistic basis for protein glutamylation by the kinase fold

The kinase domain transfers phosphate from ATP to substrates. However, the Legionella effector SidJ adopts a kinase fold, yet catalyzes calmodulin (CaM)-dependent glutamylation to inactivate the SidE ubiquitin ligases. The structural and mechanistic basis in which the kinase domain catalyzes protein glutamylation is unknown. Here, in this work, we present cryo-EM reconstructions of SidJ:CaM:SidE reaction intermediate complexes. We show that the kinase-like active site of SidJ adenylates an active-site Glu in SidE, resulting in the formation of a stable reaction intermediate complex. An insertion in the catalytic loop of the kinase domain positions the donor Glu near the acyl-adenylate for peptide bond formation. Our structural analysis led us to discover that the SidJ paralog SdjA is a glutamylase that differentially regulates the SidE ligases during Legionella infection. Our results uncover the structural and mechanistic basis in which the kinase fold catalyzes non-ribosomal amino acid ligations and reveal an unappreciated level of SidE-family regulation.

59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES↗

Transforming the electronic properties of phosphorene through charge transfer superatomic doping

Phosphorene is a two-dimensional electron poor p-type semiconductor with great promise for applications in electronics and optoelectronics. Here, in this work, we propose how the two most important properties of a semiconductor, the band gap energy and the nature of carriers, can be controlled by changing the dimensionality or through charge transfer doping with metal-chalcogenide superatoms. Our studies on nanoribbons examine how the band gap can be changed by controlling the width of the ribbons. We investigate the stability and properties of bare and H-terminated nanoribbons. We show that small non-passivated ribbons can be metallic while the passivated ribbons show variation in the band gap energy as a function of the width of the ribbon. We next investigate an alternative approach to band gap and carrier control via doping with ligated metal-chalcogenide superatom clusters whose redox properties can be changed by ligand exchange. Our results obtained from deposition of Co 6 S 8 (PH 3 ) 5-n (CO) n clusters on a phosphorene support showed that the band gap energy can be controlled by exchanging the electron donating phosphine ligands with electron withdrawing CO. We then show that by depositing Re 6 Se 8 (PH 3 ) 5-n Cl n clusters, phosphorene can be converted into a p- or n- type semiconductor as the relative composition of ligands is changed. Our studies provide a novel approach to controlling carrier type and band gap in phosphorene.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗

LncRNA embryonic stem cells expressed 1 (Lncenc1) is identified as a novel regulator in neuropathic pain by interacting with EZH2 and downregulating the expression of Bai1 in mouse microglia

LncRNA embryonic stem cells expressed 1 (Lncenc1), named after its high expression in naïve embryonic stem cells (nESCs), has been rarely studied in almost all pathological processes. Evidences suggest that Lncenc1 is likely to work in the form of RNA-protein complex. Here, we found that Lncenc1 in dorsal root ganglion (DRG) was significantly upregulated in response to mouse nerve injury caused by partial sciatic nerve ligation (pSNL). Overexpression of Lncenc1 mediated by adenoviral expression vector promoted the activation of microglia and the production of inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-1β and MCP-1. In contrast, knockdown of Lncenc1 suppressed activation of microglia and production of inflammatory cytokines. In the mechanism exploration, we found that Lncenc1 could bind with the RNA binding protein (RBP) enhancer of zeste homologue 2 (EZH2), an identified contributor in microglial activation and neuropathic pain. Lncenc1 interacted with EZH2 and downregulated the expression of brain-specific angiogenesis inhibitor 1 (BAI1). Either inhibition of EZH2 or overexpression of BAI1 could reverse the effects of Lncenc1 overexpression on microglial activation and neuroinflammation. Finally, the Lncenc1-siRNA was intrathecally injected into pSNL mice, and its effects on neuropathic pain were evaluated. Knockdown of Lncenc1 attenuated the development and maintenance of mechanical and thermal hyperalgesia of pSNL mice, accompanied by an increase in BAI1 expression and decrease in inflammatory cytokines. In conclusion, Lncenc1 contributes to neuropathic pain by interacting with EZH2 and downregulating the BAI1 gene in mouse microglia.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗

Immunophenotypic characterization and therapeutics effects of human bone marrow- and umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells in an experimental model of sepsis

Highlights: • Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) may be a therapeutic option for sepsis. • Bone marrow (BM) vs. umbilical cord (UC) -MSCs induce different M1/M2 gene profiles. • In a CLP model of sepsis, only BM-MSCs improved survival and bacterial clearance. Sepsis is a complicated multi-system disorder characterized by a dysregulated host response to infection. Despite substantial progress in the understanding of mechanisms of sepsis, translation of these advances into clinically effective therapies remains challenging. Mesenchymal Stromal Cells (MSCs) possess immunomodulatory properties that have shown therapeutic promise in preclinical models of sepsis. The therapeutic effects of MSCs may vary depending on the source and type of these cells. In this comparative study, the gene expression pattern and surface markers of bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs) and umbilical cord-derived MSCs (UC-MSCs) as well as their therapeutic effects in a clinically relevant mouse model of polymicrobial sepsis, cecal ligation and puncture (CLP), were investigated. The results showed remarkable differences in gene expression profile, surface markers and therapeutic potency in terms of enhancing survival and pro/anti-inflammatory responses between the two MSC types. BM-MSCs improved survival concomitant with an enhanced systemic bacterial clearance and improved inflammatory profile post CLP surgery. Despite some improvement in the inflammatory profile of the septic animals, treatment with UC-MSCs did not enhance survival or bacterial clearance. Overall, the beneficial therapeutic effects of BM-MSCs over UC-MSCs may likely be attributed to their pro-inflammatory function, and to some extent anti-inflammatory features, reflected in their gene expression pattern enhancing macrophage polarization to M1/M2 phenotypes resulting in a balanced pro- and anti-inflammatory response against polymicrobial sepsis.

60 APPLIED LIFE SCIENCES↗