RARRES3 suppresses breast cancer lung metastasis by regulating adhesion and differentiation

In estrogen receptor-negative breast cancer patients, metastatic relapse usually occurs in the lung and is responsible for the fatal outcome of the disease. Thus, a better understanding of the biology of metastasis is needed. In particular, biomarkers to identify patients that are at risk of lung metastasis could open the avenue for new therapeutic opportunities. Here we characterize the biological activity of RARRES3, a new metastasis suppressor gene whose reduced expression in the primary breast tumors identifies a subgroup of patients more likely to develop lung metastasis. We show that RARRES3 downregulation engages metastasis-initiating capabilities by facilitating adhesion of the tumor cells to the lung parenchyma. In addition, impaired tumor cell differentiation due to the loss of RARRES3 phospholipase A1/A2 activity also contributes to lung metastasis. Our results establish RARRES3 downregulation as a potential biomarker to identify patients at high risk of lung metastasis who might benefit from a differentiation treatment in the adjuvant programme.

Genetic differentiation between Atlantic salmon populations in the Windermere catchment

Genetic analysis, using single locus probes for genomic DNA, revealed that the juvenile Atlantic salmon populations in the Rivers Leven, Rothay and Troutbeck were related but genetically distinct. This genetic differentiation is greater than might be expected (by comparison with other salmon populations in the UK) and it is recommended that no action is taken which might promote genetic exchange between the three rivers. Thus, future fisheries management practices should treat the salmon from each site as separate genetic stocks. It is unlikely that any attempts to encourage fish currently spawning in the River Leven (downstream of Windermere) to utilize the upper catchment will be successful. The faster growth rate of juvenile salmon in the River Leven, compared with the River Rothay, probably results from a difference in temperature between the inflowing streams and the main outflow of Windermere. Precocious sexual maturation of some male parr was found in all three populations but the incidence (13-33%) is well within the range reported for other waters. Because of their enhanced growth rate, it is likely that some of the precocious males in the River Leven were 0+ fish. A very high incidence of hybridization (>18%) between Atlantic salmon and brown/sea trout was found in Troutbeck but not in the other rivers. Mitochondrial DNA analysis of these hybrids revealed them to be the product of several, independent cross-fertilizations involving both sexes of both species. The implications of this finding are discussed in relation to the availability of suitable spawning sites in Troutbeck.

Morphometric differentiation in small juveniles of the pink spotted shrimp (Farfantepenaeus brasiliensis) and the southern pink shrimp (F. notialis) in the Yucatan Peninsula, Mexico

The morphometric and morphological characters of the rostrum have been widely used to identify penaeid shrimp species (Heales et al., 1985; Dall et al., 1990; Pendrey et al., 1999). In this setting, one of the constraints in studies of penaeid shrimp populations has been the uncertainty in the identification of early life history stages, especially in coastal nursery habitats, where recruits and juveniles dominate the population (Dall et al., 1990; Pérez-Castañeda and Defeo, 2001). In the western Atlantic Ocean, Pérez-Farfante (1969, 1970, 1971a) described diagnostic characters of the genus Farfantepenaeus that allowed identification of individuals in the range of 8−20 mm CL (carapace length) on the basis of the following morphological features: 1) changes in the structure of the petasma and thelycum; 2) absence or presence of distomarginal spines in the ventral costa of the petasma; 3) the ratio between the keel height and the sulcus width of the sixth abdominal somite; 4) the shape and position of the rostrum with respect to the segments and flagellum of the antennule; and 5) the ratio between rostrum length (RL) and carapace length (RL/CL). In addition, she classified Farfantepenaeus into two groups according to the shape and position of the rostrum with respect to the segments and flagellum of the antennule and the ratio RL/CL: 1) F. duorarum and F. notialis: short rostrum, straight distally, and the proximodorsal margin convex, usually extending anteriorly to the end of distal antennular segment, sometimes reaching to proximal one-fourth of broadened portion of lateral antennular flagellum, with RL/CL <0.75; and 2) F. aztecus, F. brasiliensis, F. paulensis, and F. subtilis: long rostrum, usually almost straight along the entire length, extending anteriorly beyond the distal antennular segment, sometimes reaching to the distal one-third of broadened portion of lateral antennular flagellum, with RL/CL >0.80. Pérez-Farfante stressed that, for the recognition to species level of juveniles <10 mm CL, all the characters listed above should be considered because occasionally one alone may not prove to be diagnostic. However, the only characters that could be distinguished for small juveniles in the range 4−8 mm CL are those defined on the rostrum. Therefore, it has been almost impossible to identify and separate small specimens of Farfantepenaeus (Pérez-Farfante, 1970, 1971a; Pérez-Farfante and Kensley, 1997).

Sexual differentiation and gonad development in striped mullet (Mugil cephalus L.) from South Carolina estuaries*

This study examined the sexual differentiation and reproductive dynamics of striped mullet (Mugil cephalus L.) in the estuaries of South Carolina. A total of 16,464 specimens were captured during the study and histological examination of sex and maturity was performed on a subsample of 3670 fish. Striped mullet were sexually undifferentiated for the first 12 months, began differentiation at 13 months, and were 90% fully differentiated by 15 to 19 months of age and 225 mm total length (TL). The defining morphological characteristics for differentiating males was the elongation of the protogonial germ tissue in a corradiating pattern towards the center of the lobe, the development of primary and secondary ducts, and the lack of any recognizable ovarian wall structure. The defining female characteristics were the formation of protogonial germ tissue into spherical germ cell nests, separation of a tissue layer from the outer epithelial layer of the lobe-forming ovarian walls, a tissue bud growing from the suspensory tissue that helped form the ovary wall, and the proliferation of oogonia and oocytes. Sexual maturation in male striped mullet first occurred at 1 year and 248 mm TL and 100% maturity occurred at age 2 and 300 mm TL. Female striped mullet first matured at 2 years and 291 mm total length and 100% maturity occurred at 400 mm TL and age 4. Because of the open ocean spawning behavior of striped mullet, all stages of maturity were observed in males and females except for functionally mature females with hydrated oocytes. The spawning season for striped mullet recruiting to South Carolina estuaries lasts from October to April; the majority of spawning activity, however, occurs from November to January. Ovarian atresia was observed to have four distinct phases. This study presents morpholog ical analysis of reproductive ontogeny in relation to size and age in South Carolina striped mullet. Because of the length of the undifferentiated gonad stage in juvenile striped mullet, previous studies have proposed the possibility of protandric hermaphrodism in this species. The results of our study indicate that striped mullet are gonochoristic but capable of exhibiting nonfunctional hermaphroditic characteristics in differentiated mature gonads.

Cores e com-posições de um Jardim de Infância Waldorf: tecendo com a Teoria Ator-rede

A presente pesquisa foi produzida num Jardim de Infância Waldorf no Rio de Janeiro e se propôs a um exercício de tradução, com o uso do dispositivo TeAR, que aliava o trabalho etnográfico no cotidiano escolar, aos elementos da tecelagem como artesania e ao modo de pesquisar da Teoria Ator-Rede (TAR). Entre as questões que emergiram ao longo do processo, podemos destacar: a com-vivência como prática educativa no encontro com a diferença, que vinculou-se ao método de PesquisarCOM da TAR, proposto pela psicóloga Marcia Moraes; uma maneira de aprender com os mal-entendidos, refazendo nossa maneira de interpelar o outro quando este recalcitra; incluindo humanos e não-humanos, sem domínios ou separações hierarquizantes; conhecendo com e não sobre o outro. Por outro lado, ao entendermos o conhecimento como processo de criação de si e do mundo, a produção de conhecimento na com-vivência fez emergir, como efeito das práticas de limite e recalcitrância, a diferenciação e singularização dos agentes, possibilitando a criação de novos limites e invenções. Assim, na afetação da experiência, chegamos à negociação dos interesses singulares e coletivos, na qual planos comuns e heterogêneos foram-se tecendo, de modo que as múltiplas possibilidades de vínculos aumentavam a potência de agir. Pensar com Latour que quando estamos mais vinculados, somos mais livres nos convida a experimentar novas formas de viver coletivamente, inventando a si de maneira vinculada e ao mesmo tempo proliferando modos de existir. Durante essa pesquisa, fiamos com as práticas do campo e tecemos versões de Educação Infantil na Pedagogia Waldorf cujos vínculos estão em movimento, constituindo uma ética na com-vivência