title: Establishment of THP-1 Monocytes with Compromised Mitochondrial Functions

authors: Chou, Tzu-wen Joy

subjects: THP-1 monocytes

abstract: The process of inflammation is important for both normal health and in a number of diseases, such as metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondria are vital for the functioning of all cells. It had been implicated as a key player in inflammatory processes, especially through reactive oxygen species as signals of various immune responses. This study aimed to establish a THP-1 cell line with compromised mitochondrial functions, using antimycin A as a Complex III inhibitor, and to investigate the role of mitochondrial stress, as monitored by the expression of Hsp60, in inflammatory processes. High concentrations of antimycin A (100 and 200 μM) were cytotoxic to THP-1 monocytes that they were rapidly killed within 48 hours of exposure. Lower concentrations of antimycin A (5, 10, 25 and 50 μM) gave growth inhibition effects to THP-1 monocytes. Pyruvate and uridine were used with an intention of rescuing the THP-1 cell growth at lower antimycin A concentrations. The THP-1 monocytes treated with antimycin A with uridine and pyruvate showed more growth compared to the ones without uridine and pyruvate supplement. Yet this difference is insignificant statistically. The expressions of Hsp60 and TNF-α at the mRNA level was monitored using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Hsp60 expression from THP-1 monocytes only showed some minor fluctuations in different antimycin A concentrations, regardless of uridine and iii pyruvate supplement, indicating the stress mitochondrial response was unobvious. On the other hand, TNF-α expression was dramatically down-regulated in THP-1 monocytes treated with antimycin A only compared to the untreated control and ones supplemented with uridine and pyruvate. These results suggest that antimycin A may have inhibition effect towards TNF-α expression, and uridine and pyruvate could also have other functions in THP-1 monocytes apart from redox rescue compounds. Yet the mitochondrial stress response shown by Hsp60 induction still remains to be further investigated.

text: Establishment of THP-1 Monocytes with Compromised Mitochondrial Functions The process of inflammation is important for both normal health and in a number of diseases, such as metabolic disorders, autoimmune diseases, and neurodegenerative diseases. Mitochondria are vital for the functioning of all cells. It had been implicated as a key player in inflammatory processes, especially through reactive oxygen species as signals of various immune responses. This study aimed to establish a THP-1 cell line with compromised mitochondrial functions, using antimycin A as a Complex III inhibitor, and to investigate the role of mitochondrial stress, as monitored by the expression of Hsp60, in inflammatory processes. High concentrations of antimycin A (100 and 200 μM) were cytotoxic to THP-1 monocytes that they were rapidly killed within 48 hours of exposure. Lower concentrations of antimycin A (5, 10, 25 and 50 μM) gave growth inhibition effects to THP-1 monocytes. Pyruvate and uridine were used with an intention of rescuing the THP-1 cell growth at lower antimycin A concentrations. The THP-1 monocytes treated with antimycin A with uridine and pyruvate showed more growth compared to the ones without uridine and pyruvate supplement. Yet this difference is insignificant statistically. The expressions of Hsp60 and TNF-α at the mRNA level was monitored using reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction. Hsp60 expression from THP-1 monocytes only showed some minor fluctuations in different antimycin A concentrations, regardless of uridine and iii pyruvate supplement, indicating the stress mitochondrial response was unobvious. On the other hand, TNF-α expression was dramatically down-regulated in THP-1 monocytes treated with antimycin A only compared to the untreated control and ones supplemented with uridine and pyruvate. These results suggest that antimycin A may have inhibition effect towards TNF-α expression, and uridine and pyruvate could also have other functions in THP-1 monocytes apart from redox rescue compounds. Yet the mitochondrial stress response shown by Hsp60 induction still remains to be further investigated.

year: 2009

title: Boat electrofishing survey of the lower Waikanae River, Ratanui Lagoon, and Lake Waitawa

authors: Hicks, Brendan J.

subjects: New Zealand

abstract: We conducted the first electrofishing boat survey of the lower Waikanae River, Ratanui Lagoon, and Lake Waitawa on 11-12 July 2006. We caught five introduced and five native fish species in 4.74 km of fished length from a total of nine sites. Assuming that the bow-mounted anodes caught fish within a 1-m radius, the width fished was 4 m, and the total area fished was 16,200 m² or 1.62 ha.
We landed a total of 125 fish comprising five introduced and five native fish species at the nine fished sites (Table 3). Shortfin eels were the most numerous species but are mostly not included in this total. We did not bring eels on board because of the handling time this involved, except for two sites 263 and 264 where densities were 1.19 fish 100 m⁻², which is moderate density of eels compared to previous boat electrofishing one-pass estimates, perch, tench, and rudd were found at most sites in Lake Waitawa. Goldfish had a much more restricted distribution, and were caught at only one site. Four adult brown trout were caught in the lower Waikanae River. Because of their large size, adult brown trout and tench comprised a significant part of the fish biomass where they occurred.
No koi carp were caught, probably because of a combination of low density and low water temperature. Water temperature at the time of fish (10.2-10.5 °C in Lake Waitawa) may have influenced the susceptibility to koi carp to electrofishing. Common carp are known to seek winter refuge in deep water at temperatures below 11°C. Electrofishing is limited to the upper 3 m of the water column and would be ineffective if koi carp, Cyprinus carpio) are also less active during periods of low water. Inactivity reduces the probability of encountering fish and lowers catch rates. The optimal period for sampling koi carp begins as the water warms in spring, when koi carp move into the littoral shallows to spawn and are therefore highly visible. Common carp in Australia begin to spawn when water temperatures reach 15°C and koi carp have been observed spawning in New Zealand in Lake Waikare as early as 11 September in a water temperature 15.3°C. However, it is encouraging that no small koi carp were caught because this is evidence that breeding is not occurring in Lake Waitawa or Ratanui Lagoon, where koi carp are known to occur (Ian Cooksley, DOC, pers. comm.).
Previous fishing with the electrofishing boat in the North Island, in similar conductivities and habitats and with similar machine settings, has caught a full size range of eels, smelt, bullies, grey mullet, rudd, brown bullhead catfish, perch, tench, goldfish, and koi carp. Thus we believe that these results reflect an accurate picture of fish abundance in the Waikanae area but we acknowledge that fishing in spring or summer in higher water temperatures is likely to increase the likelihood of catching koi carp.
This fish data have been entered into NIWA’s New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database as card numbers 15190 to 15198.

text: Boat electrofishing survey of the lower Waikanae River, Ratanui Lagoon, and Lake Waitawa We conducted the first electrofishing boat survey of the lower Waikanae River, Ratanui Lagoon, and Lake Waitawa on 11-12 July 2006. We caught five introduced and five native fish species in 4.74 km of fished length from a total of nine sites. Assuming that the bow-mounted anodes caught fish within a 1-m radius, the width fished was 4 m, and the total area fished was 16,200 m² or 1.62 ha.
We landed a total of 125 fish comprising five introduced and five native fish species at the nine fished sites (Table 3). Shortfin eels were the most numerous species but are mostly not included in this total. We did not bring eels on board because of the handling time this involved, except for two sites 263 and 264 where densities were 1.19 fish 100 m⁻², which is moderate density of eels compared to previous boat electrofishing one-pass estimates, perch, tench, and rudd were found at most sites in Lake Waitawa. Goldfish had a much more restricted distribution, and were caught at only one site. Four adult brown trout were caught in the lower Waikanae River. Because of their large size, adult brown trout and tench comprised a significant part of the fish biomass where they occurred.
No koi carp were caught, probably because of a combination of low density and low water temperature. Water temperature at the time of fish (10.2-10.5 °C in Lake Waitawa) may have influenced the susceptibility to koi carp to electrofishing. Common carp are known to seek winter refuge in deep water at temperatures below 11°C. Electrofishing is limited to the upper 3 m of the water column and would be ineffective if koi carp, Cyprinus carpio) are also less active during periods of low water. Inactivity reduces the probability of encountering fish and lowers catch rates. The optimal period for sampling koi carp begins as the water warms in spring, when koi carp move into the littoral shallows to spawn and are therefore highly visible. Common carp in Australia begin to spawn when water temperatures reach 15°C and koi carp have been observed spawning in New Zealand in Lake Waikare as early as 11 September in a water temperature 15.3°C. However, it is encouraging that no small koi carp were caught because this is evidence that breeding is not occurring in Lake Waitawa or Ratanui Lagoon, where koi carp are known to occur (Ian Cooksley, DOC, pers. comm.).
Previous fishing with the electrofishing boat in the North Island, in similar conductivities and habitats and with similar machine settings, has caught a full size range of eels, smelt, bullies, grey mullet, rudd, brown bullhead catfish, perch, tench, goldfish, and koi carp. Thus we believe that these results reflect an accurate picture of fish abundance in the Waikanae area but we acknowledge that fishing in spring or summer in higher water temperatures is likely to increase the likelihood of catching koi carp.
This fish data have been entered into NIWA’s New Zealand Freshwater Fish Database as card numbers 15190 to 15198.

year: 2006

title: An ashy septingentenarian: the Kaharoa tephra turns 700 (with notes on its volcanological, archaeological, and historical importance)

authors: Lowe, David J.

abstract: Most of us are aware of the basaltic Tarawera eruption on 10th June 1886: the high toll on life (~120 people), landscape devastation, and loss of the Pink and White Terraces. But this was not the first time that Mt Tarawera produced an eruption of importance both to volcanology and human history. This edition of the GSNZ Newsletter marks the 700th anniversary of the Kaharoa eruption – its septingentenary to be precise – which occurred at Mt Tarawera in the winter of 1314 AD (± 12 years) (Hogg et al. 2003) (Fig. 1). The importance of the Kaharoa eruption is at least threefold. (1) It is the most recent rhyolite eruption in New Zealand, and the largest New Zealand eruption volumetrically of the last millennium. (2) The Kaharoa tephra is an important marker horizon in late Holocene stratigraphy and geoarchaeology (Lowe et al. 1998, 2000), and in particular helps to constrain the timing of settlement of early Polynesians in North Island (Newnham et al. 1998; Hogg et al. 2003; Lowe 2011). (3) There is a link between the soils that developed on the Kaharoa tephra, the animal ‘wasting’ disease known as ‘bush sickness’, and the birth of a government soil survey group as an independent organisation (Tonkin 2012).

text: An ashy septingentenarian: the Kaharoa tephra turns 700 (with notes on its volcanological, archaeological, and historical importance) Most of us are aware of the basaltic Tarawera eruption on 10th June 1886: the high toll on life (~120 people), landscape devastation, and loss of the Pink and White Terraces. But this was not the first time that Mt Tarawera produced an eruption of importance both to volcanology and human history. This edition of the GSNZ Newsletter marks the 700th anniversary of the Kaharoa eruption – its septingentenary to be precise – which occurred at Mt Tarawera in the winter of 1314 AD (± 12 years) (Hogg et al. 2003) (Fig. 1). The importance of the Kaharoa eruption is at least threefold. (1) It is the most recent rhyolite eruption in New Zealand, and the largest New Zealand eruption volumetrically of the last millennium. (2) The Kaharoa tephra is an important marker horizon in late Holocene stratigraphy and geoarchaeology (Lowe et al. 1998, 2000), and in particular helps to constrain the timing of settlement of early Polynesians in North Island (Newnham et al. 1998; Hogg et al. 2003; Lowe 2011). (3) There is a link between the soils that developed on the Kaharoa tephra, the animal ‘wasting’ disease known as ‘bush sickness’, and the birth of a government soil survey group as an independent organisation (Tonkin 2012).

year: 2014