Browsing by Author "Chernyavtseva A"

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    Expression of Renal Vitamin D and Phosphatonin-Related Genes in a Sheep Model of Osteoporosis
    (MDPI (Basel, Switzerland), 2022-01) Dittmer KE; Chernyavtseva A; Marshall JC; Cabrera D; Wolber FM; Kruger M; Bienko M; Radzki RP
    Osteoporosis is a significant public health issue around the world, with post-menopausal osteoporosis due to estrogen deficiency resulting in approximately ¾ of cases. In this study, 18 aged Merino ewes were ovariectomized, and 10 were controls. Three of the ovariectomized ewes were treated weekly with 400 mg of methylprednisolone for 5 months and three were treated weekly for 2 months, followed by a 3-month recovery period. At 2 months, five control animals and six ovariectomized animals were euthanized. At 5 months, all the remaining ewes were euthanized. Kidney samples were collected postmortem for qPCR analysis of NPT1, PTH1R, NPT2a, NPT2c, Klotho, FGFR1IIIc, VDR, CYP24A1, CYP27B1, TRPV5, TRPV6, CalD9k, CalD28k, PMCA and NCX1. Ovariectomized sheep had significantly greater VDR expression compared with other groups. Ovariectomized sheep treated with glucocorticoids for 2 months followed by euthanasia at 5 months showed significant differences in TRPV5, CYP24A1 and klotho gene expression compared to other groups. Differences in klotho expression were most marked after adjustment for repeated measures (p = 0.1). Klotho is known as the "anti-aging" hormone and is involved in calcium and phosphorus metabolism. Klotho may be involved in the recovery of bone mineral density in ovariectomized sheep treated with glucocorticoids for 2 months followed by euthanasia at 5 months. Further research on the role of klotho is recommended.
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    Uncoupling Molecular Testing for SARS-CoV-2 From International Supply Chains
    (Frontiers Media S.A., 2022-01-24) Stanton J-AL; O'Brien R; Hall RJ; Chernyavtseva A; Ha HJ; Jelley L; Mace PD; Klenov A; Treece JM; Fraser JD; Clow F; Clarke L; Su Y; Kurup HM; Filichev VV; Rolleston W; Law L; Rendle PM; Harris LD; Wood JM; Scully TW; Ussher JE; Grant J; Hore TA; Moser TV; Harfoot R; Lawley B; Quiñones-Mateu ME; Collins P; Blaikie R; Sørensen JL
    The rapid global rise of COVID-19 from late 2019 caught major manufacturers of RT-qPCR reagents by surprise and threw into sharp focus the heavy reliance of molecular diagnostic providers on a handful of reagent suppliers. In addition, lockdown and transport bans, necessarily imposed to contain disease spread, put pressure on global supply lines with freight volumes severely restricted. These issues were acutely felt in New Zealand, an island nation located at the end of most supply lines. This led New Zealand scientists to pose the hypothetical question: in a doomsday scenario where access to COVID-19 RT-qPCR reagents became unavailable, would New Zealand possess the expertise and infrastructure to make its own reagents onshore? In this work we describe a review of New Zealand's COVID-19 test requirements, bring together local experts and resources to make all reagents for the RT-qPCR process, and create a COVID-19 diagnostic assay referred to as HomeBrew (HB) RT-qPCR from onshore synthesized components. This one-step RT-qPCR assay was evaluated using clinical samples and shown to be comparable to a commercial COVID-19 assay. Through this work we show New Zealand has both the expertise and, with sufficient lead time and forward planning, infrastructure capacity to meet reagent supply challenges if they were ever to emerge.