Immunological determination of labeling index on human tumor tissue sections using monoclonal anti-BrdUrd antibody

The use of a monoclonal antibody against the thymidine analogue bromodeoxyuridine together with an in vitro labeling technique allowed rapid determination of the labeling index in human tumors. The labeling index estimated by these relatively simple immunofluorescence or immunoenzymatic staining methods was equivalent to that obtained by autoradiography. The interpretation of the preparations is easy since there is a minimum of background staining. This immunohistochemical technique combined with in vitro labeling provides a suitable alternative for determining the labeling index of human tumors.     

Growth factor-receptor pathway interfering treatment by somatostatin analogs and suramin: Preclinical and clinical studies

Interference in growth factor mediated pathways is a new strategy in the treatment of cancer. Somatostatin analogs can inhibit hormone and growth factor secretion, while suramin can block the binding of several growth factors to their receptors. In addition, somatostatin analogs can cause direct growth inhibitory effects after binding to tumoral somatostatin receptors. We tested the efficacy and endocrine effects of chronic treatment with three somatostatin analogs (Sandostatin,^® RC-160 and CGP 15–425) or suramin in several tumor models and in patients with various types of cancer. Treatment with somatostatin analogs caused growth inhibition of breast cancer cells (MCF-7) in vitro, and of rat transplantable pancreatic (50–70% inhibition) and prostatic Dunning tumors (12% inhibition). No tumor growth inhibition was observed with respect to DMBA-induced rat mammary tumors, a transplantable color tumor and a rhabdomyosarcoma in rats. In 34 patients with metastatic pancreatic or gastrointestinal adenocarcinomas chronic Sandostatin treatment caused stable disease in 27% of the patients, but no objective remissions. Somatostatin receptors were found in the responding MCF-7 mammary tumor cells, rat pancreatic tumors and in 20–45% of human breast cancer specimens [J. Steroid Biochem. Molec. Biol. 37 (1990) 1073–1077], but not in rat DMBA-mammary tumors or in 10 human pancreatic adenocarcinomas. Suramin caused significant dose-dependent growth inhibition of human breast cancer cells in vitro and of rat pancreatic tumors in vivo in the presence of plasma levels up to 150 μg/ml. In a preliminary clinical study concerning 11 patients with various tumor types we observed significant hematological, biochemical, endocrine and clinical side effects, but no objective remissions in spite of relevant peak plasma suramin concentrations of 270–330 μg/ml. In conclusion: somatostatin analogs and suramin can cause growth inhibition of various experimental tumors in vitro and in vivo, but the clinical values has to be established for several types of cancer, especially with respect to suramin and suramin-like compounds.     

Fluorescent labeling of cell-free synthesized proteins with fluorophore-conjugated methionylated tRNA derived from in vitro transcribed tRNA

A simple and practical method for preparing fluorophore-conjugated methionylated tRNA necessary for tRNA-mediated fluorescent labeling of cell-free synthesized proteins was developed. Without complicated chromatographic purification and subsequent concentration, fluorophore-conjugated methionylated tRNA with higher purity and fluorescence concentration could be synthesized from in vitro transcribed tRNA instead of from a total tRNA mixture, which has been routinely used as a tRNA source. Although fluorophore-conjugated methionylated tRNA derived from in vitro transcribed tRNA was purified by simple phenol extraction following alcohol precipitation, it worked well in tRNA-mediated fluorescent labeling, yielding an improved signal-to-noise ratio and higher fluorescence intensity compared to the conventional total tRNA-based method. Based on its simplicity in the preparation of labeling agent with higher purity and fluorescence concentration, the developed method will accelerate the prevalence of fluorescence-based detection of cell-free synthesized proteins.     

Differential Nucleolar Staining Affinity with a Modified Papanicolaou Staining Procedure

A modified Papanicolaou staining procedure using diluted Harris' hematoxylin with potassium alum is described. Nucleolar staining varies from blue to bright red. This technique has been applied to mammary tumor cell lines in vitro under several conditions of hormonal stimulation known to induce protein synthesis and cell differentiation. Blue nucleoli are observed in control resting cells, while bright red nucleoli are seen after hormonal stimulation.     

Genetic approach to track neural cell fate decisions using human embryonic stem cells

With their capability to undergo unlimited self-renewal and to differentiate into all cell types in the body, human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) hold great promise in human cell therapy. However, there are limited tools for easily identifying and isolating live hESC-derived cells. To track hESC-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs), we applied homologous recombination to knock-in the mCherry gene into the Nestin locus of hESCs. This facilitated the genetic labeling of Nestin positive neural progenitor cells with mCherry. Our reporter system enables the visualization of neural induction from hESCs both in vitro (embryoid bodies) and in vivo (teratomas). This system also permits the identification of different neural subpopulations based on the intensity of our fluorescent reporter. In this context, a high level of mCherry expression showed enrichment for neural progenitors, while lower mCherry corresponded with more committed neural states. Combination of mCherry high expression with cell surface antigen staining enabled further enrichment of hESC-derived NPCs. These mCherry⁺NPCs could be expanded in culture and their differentiation resulted in a down-regulation of mCherry consistent with the loss of Nestin expression. Therefore, we have developed a fluorescent reporter system that can be used to trace neural differentiation events of hESCs.     

Highly selective inhibition of estrogen biosynthesis by CGS 20267, a new non-steroidal aromatase inhibitor

CGS 20267 is a new non-steroidal compound which potently inhibits aromatase in vitro (IC₅₀ of 11.5 nM) and in vivo (ED₅₀ of 1–3 μg/kg p.o.). CGS 20267 maximally inhibits estradiol production in vitro in LH-stimulated hamster ovarian tissue at 0.1 μM with an IC₅₀ of 0.02 μM and does not significantly affect progesterone production up to 350 μM. In ACTH-stimulated rat adrenal tissue in vitro, aldosterone production was inhibited with an IC₅₀ of 210 μM (10,000 times higher than the IC₅₀ for estradiol production); no significant effect on corticosterone production was seen at 350 μM. In vivo, in ACTH-treated rats, CGS 20267 does not affect plasma levels of corticosterone or aldosterone at a dose of 4 mg/kg p.o. (1000 times higher than the ED₅₀ for aromatase inhibition in vivo). In adult female rats, a 14-day treatment with 1 mg/kg p.o. daily, completely interrupts ovarian cyclicity and suppresses uterine weight to that seen 14 days after ovariectomy. In adult female rats bearing estrogen-dependent DMBA-induced mammary tumors, 0.1 mg/kg p.o. given daily for 42 days caused almost complete regression of tumors present at the start of treatment. Thus compared to each other, CGS 16949A and CGS 20267 are both highly potent in inhibiting estrogen biosynthesis in vitro and in vivo. The striking difference between them is that unlike CGS 16949A, CGS 20267 does not affect adrenal steroidogenesis in vitro or in vivo, at concentrations and doses several orders of magnitude higher than those required to inhibit estrogen biosynthesis.     

Unmasking of Proteins by in Vitro Methylation of Rat Liver Rna During Azo Dye Carcinogenesis

In liver parenchyma of rats fed the azo dye 4-dimethylaminoazobenzene cytoplasmic ribonucleic acid (RNA) stains intensely with toluidine blue in sites of neoplastic transformation and hepatomas. With the mercury-bromphenol blue method, the staining intensity of proteins was found to be much weaker in these areas than in surrounding tissue. A 4 hr treatment at 60 C in a mixture of methanol and HCI completely abolished the increased staining of RNA with toluidine blue, but restored protein stainability with bromphenol blue in preneoplastic foci and tumors; the staining intensity of proteins was then comparable to that in surrounding liver. These results suggest that proteins were masked by the RNA responsible for hyperbasophilia, and that in vitro addition of methyl groups to such RNA is equal in effect to RNase extraction which was previously found to unmask cytoplasmic proteins.     

大鼠双下肢骨折合并失血对心肌细胞损伤的作用及其机制

目的：探讨双下肢骨折创伤失血反应可否诱导心肌细胞发生凋亡反应,为深入研究骨折创伤后心肌损伤机制奠定基础。方法：SD大鼠20只,随机分为对照组及创伤组（n=10）,制备双下肢骨折创伤失血模型;原代心肌细胞培养复制创伤模型。ELISA检测血清IL-2、IL-6、IL-10、TNF-α水平;心肌组织HE染色、Tunel试验观察心肌受损、凋亡;Western blot及RT-PCR检测心肌组织凋亡调控基因Bcl-2/Bax表达变化。结果：创伤后血清炎性因子时间依赖性改变,IL-2（8 h）、IL-6、IL-10（4 h）、TNF-α（1 h）达到峰值,随后逐步回落;心肌HE染色发现心肌细胞肿大,排列紊乱,炎细胞浸润;Tunel试验证实大量核染成棕褐色的心肌细胞,凋亡指数增加（P<0.05）;Western blot及RT-PCR检测表明,无论在体及心肌细胞培养中,促凋亡基因Bax表达上调（P<0.05）,而抑凋亡基因Bcl-2表达下调（P<0.05）。结论：大鼠双下肢骨折创伤失血反应通过诱导心肌细胞凋亡进而造成心肌损伤。     

Translating tissue culture results into animal models: the case of Salmonella typhimurium

Investigators use both in vitro and in vivo models to better understand infectious disease processes. Both models are extremely useful in research, but there exists a significant gap in complexity between the highly controlled reductionist in vitro systems and the largely undefined, but relevant variability encompassing in vivo animal models. In an effort to understand how Salmonella initiates disease at the intestinal epithelium, in vitro models have served a useful purpose in allowing investigators to identify molecular mechanisms responsible for Salmonella invasion of host cells and stimulation of host inflammatory responses. Identification of these molecular mechanisms has generated hypotheses that are now being tested using in vivo models. Translating the in vitro findings into the context of an animal model and subsequently to human disease remains a difficult challenge for any disease process.     

Trichinella spiralis and Trichinella pseudospiralis induce collagen synthesis by host fibroblasts in vitro and in vivo

Immunoperoxidase staining of muscle infected with Trichinella spiralis for murine collagen types I and IV provided both qualitative and quantitative evidence of extensive synthesis of both types of collagen by fibroblasts in infected muscle compared to that seen uninfected muscle. Moreover, fibroblasts in muscle infected with T. pseudospiralis, a nonencapsulating species, showed significantly less staining for both types of collagen compared to muscle from mice infected with T. spiralis. Analysis of collagen composition of isolated nurse cells using an ELISA specific for either type I or type IV murine collagen suggested that of these 2 types of collagen, only type IV basement membrane collagen is found in Trichinella capsular collagen. Excretory/secretory products of T. spiralis and T. pseudospiralis induced extensive synthesis of exclusively type IV collagen by 3T3 murine fibroblasts in vitro.     

基于UPLC-QTOF-MS技术分析多脂鳞伞特征性成分及体外抗肿瘤作用

多脂鳞伞是一种较为珍贵的药食用真菌。对其化学成分及体外抗肿瘤作用进行了研究。通过UPLC-QTOF-MS法、电喷雾离子源（ESI）及负离子全扫描模式测定了人工栽培多脂鳞伞的化学成分组成;体外培养HepG-2、A549、Hela及MCF-7,用不同质量浓度多脂鳞伞乙醇提物处理细胞,应用CCK-8法及流式细胞术进行细胞毒性测试,并应用流式细胞术选择HepG-2细胞系以进一步评估其对HepG-2细胞凋亡分析。结果表明：经UPLC-QTOF-MS分析,从多脂鳞伞子实体分析得到的化学成分与食药用菌成分数据库中的38种成分相吻合,其中棕榈酸与9E,12E-octadecadienoic acid含量最高,甾醇类化合物与多糖类化合物占比较高;多脂鳞伞乙醇提取物对HepG-2细胞毒性最强,其浓度为50μg/mL时凋亡率能够达到(23.71±1.59)%。多脂鳞伞具有多种功能性化学成分,并具有潜在的抗肿瘤应用价值,初步断定其抗肿瘤活性是功能性成分通过诱导细胞凋亡实现的。     

不同基质栽培的药用鲍姆桑黄孔菌体外抗肿瘤活性的比较研究

比较3种不同栽培技术的鲍姆桑黄孔菌Sanghuangporus baumii——3年生栎树段木鲍姆桑黄孔菌、桑枝代料鲍姆桑黄孔菌和发酵鲍姆桑黄孔菌中多糖、总酚、黄酮及总三萜含量和体外抗肿瘤活性。分别采用硫酸-蒽酮、福林-酚、亚硝酸-硝酸铝和香草醛-冰醋酸法对4种主要成分进行含量测定。选用人大细胞肺癌细胞（H460）、人前列腺癌细胞（PC3）、人乳腺癌细胞（MDA-MB-231）、人肝癌细胞（SMMC-7721和BEL-7402）和人神经母细胞瘤细胞（SH-SY5Y）为待检细胞株,采用CCK-8检测细胞活力。结果显示,发酵鲍姆桑黄孔菌多糖含量最高（29.64%）,代料鲍姆桑黄孔菌和3年生段木鲍姆桑黄孔菌多糖含量均低于2.57%;2种代料鲍姆桑黄孔菌的总酚和黄酮含量较高,而发酵鲍姆桑黄孔菌最低（0.24%和0.68%）,尤其是代料鲍姆桑黄孔菌1号的总酚和黄酮含量高达4.02%和32.13%;三萜含量在4种栽培法的鲍姆桑黄孔菌中差异不明显。体外对6种肿瘤细胞增殖抑制能力最强的均为代料鲍姆桑黄孔菌,其IC₅₀值最低,其次是3年生段木鲍姆桑黄孔菌,发酵鲍姆桑黄孔菌在本研究设置的浓度范围内无明显的细胞毒性。结果表明：不同栽培方式鲍姆桑黄孔菌产生体外抗肿瘤活性不同,代料鲍姆桑黄孔菌最强,其次是3年生段木鲍姆桑黄孔菌,发酵鲍姆桑黄孔菌活性最差,这种活性差异与其有效成分含量高低直接相关;鲍姆桑黄孔菌发挥抗肿瘤活性的物质基础主要是总酚和黄酮。     

Mapping oxidative DNA damage at nucleotide level

DNA damage induced by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is considered an important intermediate in the pathogenesis of human conditions such as cancer and aging. By developing an oxidative-induced DNA damage mapping version of the Ligation-mediated polymerase chain reaction (LMPCR) technique, we investigated the in vivo and in vitro frequencies of DNA base modifications caused by ROS in the human p53 and PGK1 gene. Intact human male fibroblasts were exposed to 50 mM H₂O₂, or purified genomic DNA was treated with 5 mM H₂O₂, 100 μM Ascorbate, and 50 μM, 100 μM, or 100 μM of Cu(II), Fe(III), or Cr(VI) respectively. The damage pattern generated in vivo was nearly identical to the in vitro Cu(II) or Fe(III) damage patterns; damage was non-random with guanine bases heavily damaged. Cr(VI) generated an in vitro damage pattern similar to the other metal ions, although several unique thymine positions were damaged. Also, extra nuclear sites are a major contributor of metal ions (or metal-like ligands). These data show that the local probability of H₂O₂-mediated DNA damage is determined by the primary DNA sequence, with chromatin structure having a limited effect. The data suggest a model in which DNA-metal ion binding domains can accommodate different metalions. LMPCR's unique aspect is a blunt-end ligation of an asymmetric double-stranded linker, permitting exponential PCR amplification. An important factor limiting the sensitivity of LMPCR is the representation of target gene DNA relative to non-targeted genes; therefore, we recently developed a method to eliminate excess non-targeted genomic DNA. Restriction enzyme-digested genomic DNA is size fractionated by Continuous Elution Electrophoresis (CEE), capturing the target sequence of interest. The amount of target DNA in the starting material for LMPCR is enriched, resulting in a stronger amplification signal. CEE provided a 24-fold increase in the signal strength attributable to strand breaks plus modified bases created by ROS in the human p53 and PGK1 genes, detected by LMPCR. We are currently taking advantage of the enhanced sensitivity of target gene-enriched LMPCR to map DNA damage induced in human breast epithelial cells exposed to non-cytotoxic concentrations of H₂O₂.     

In vitro simulation and quantification of wear within the patellofemoral joint replacement

Quantification of the wear rate in vitro is now considered an essential step in the development of a new joint replacement prior to clinical trials. However, little research exists around in vitro simulation of wear in the patellofemoral joint (PFJ) despite over 200,000 being implanted annually within the European Union. A method to simulate wear in the laboratory using four input degrees of freedom within the PFJ of total knee replacement (TKR) has been developed. Wear simulation was validated through comparison of functional kinematics and patellar surface damage modes produced in vitro to clinical outcomes. The technique has been shown to replicate the prescribed in vivo kinematics in a reproducible and repeatable manner. The wear scar areas were similar to those found in vivo. However, geometrical measurements of wear were not reliable due to creep and geometry changes. As has been found previously with tibial inserts, geometrical determination of wear volume was not found to be an effective method of comparing wear from simulators and retrievals. Change in volume calculated gravimetrically was seen to be the most repeatable measure of patellar wear in vitro.     

RU54115, a tight-binding aromatase inhibitor potentially useful for the treatment of breast cancer

RU54115 is a new potent inhibitor of aromatase. In vitro, it inhibits the enzyme from human placental microsomes with a K_i of 0.5 nM, which places it among the tightest reported steroidal inhibitors of aromatase. In vivo, it lowers the amount of circulating estradiol in pregnant mare serum gonadotrophin (PMSG)-primed female rats with an ED₅₀ of 0.4 mg/kg when given s.c. and 4 mg/kg when given orally. An oral dose of 25 mg/kg when given once daily to female rats was able to inhibit the growth of DMBA-induced mammary tumors.     

Dexamethasone influences human clock gene expression in bronchial epithelium and peripheral blood mononuclear cells in vitro

We determined whether human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) could be used to analyze clock genes by studying their mRNA expressions in human bronchial epithelium (BEAS-2B) and PBMCs following stimulation by the glucocorticoid homologue dexamethasone (DEX) in vitro. PBMCs were obtained at 10:00 h from two diurnally active (∼07:00 to 23:00 h) healthy volunteers and were evaluated for hPer1 mRNA expression following DEX stimulation in vitro using real time-PCR analysis. DEX stimulation of human BEAS-2B cells and PBMCs in vitro led to a remarkable increase of hPer1 mRNA. The glucocorticoid rapidly affected the expression of hPer1 mRNA in PBMCs, suggesting that human PBMCs may be a useful surrogate marker for the investigation of drug effects on clock genes.     

Rapid increase in serum lipid peroxide 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE) through monocyte NADPH oxidase in early endo-toxemia

We have developed a time-resolved fluoroimmunoassay (TR-FIA) for a lipid peroxide 4-hydroxynonenal (HNE), which is 100-fold more sensitive than conventional enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and is an easier technique to use for a large number of samples without pre-treatment. By this assay, we found that a low dose of bacterial lipo-polysaccharide (LPS), injected intra-peritoneally (0.5 mg/kg), increased serum HNE level by 28-folds, with a peak at 20 min. LPS also increased HNE in vitro to a much higher level in the monocyte-enriched plasma than in the leukocyte-enriched plasma, with a peak at 10 min. The HNE production after LPS treatment was inhibited by apocynin, a specific NADPH oxidase inhibitor in vivo and in vitro, and to a lesser extent by dimethylsulfoxide a solvent for apocynin and a hydroxyl radical scavenger in vitro. These data suggest that monocyte NADPH oxidase is involved in the lipid peroxidation (HNE formation) in the LPS-challenged rat. This is the first clear demonstration of the link between an inflammatory stimulus and lipid peroxidation in the blood.     

Studies on the chromosomes of human lymphocytes treated with diazepam in vitro

Human lymphocytes were exposed in vitro to various concentrations of the psychotherapeutic agent diazepam, using two different techniques for culturing the lymphocytes, a whole-blood and a macro procedure. There was no evidence for a damaging effect of diazepam on the lymphoblast chromosomes at any concentration or exposure time studied with either technique of culture. The significance of results obtained in vitro on chromosome-breaking effects of chemical agents in commercial use is discussed, and the importance of some technical details in conducting such experiments is pointed out.     

Identification of [I]endothelin binding sites in human coronary tissue

In vitro receptor autoradiography has been used to study the distribution of [¹²⁵I]endothelin binding sites in human coronary tissue from patients undergoing cardiac transplantation. Dense binding of [¹²⁵I]endothelin was associated with the smooth muscle of epicardial coronary arteries as well as to perivascular regions of these vessels. Binding was also associated with the ventricular myocardium. There was an increased binding of [¹²⁵I]endothelin to atheromatous tissue, both coronary arteries and vein graft.

The [¹²⁵I]endothelin binding sites identified using in vitro autoradiography are likely to be functionally relevant since endothelin causes a concentration-dependent contraction of segments of human epicardial coronary arteries in vitro and also has positive inotropic activity on isolated human cardiomyocytes.

The presence of specific binding sites for [¹²⁵I]endothelin on coronary tissue and the increased binding in atheromatous tissue suggest that endothelin is a peptide which may play a role in the maintenance of vascular tone and/or the pathogenesis of ischaemic heart disease.