Targeted inhibition of the EGFR pathways enhances Zn‐BC‐AM PDT‐induced apoptosis in well‐differentiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma cells

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a receptor often expressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) cells, is one of the recently identified molecular targets in cancer treatment. In the present study, the effects of combined treatment of Zn‐BC‐AM PDT with an EGFR inhibitor AG1478 were investigated. Well‐differentiated NPC HK‐1 cells were subjected to PDT with 1 µM of Zn‐BC‐AM and were irradiated at a light dose of 1 J/cm² in the presence or absence of EGFR inhibitor AG1478. Specific protein kinase inhibitors of downstream EGFR targets were also used in the investigation. EGFR, Akt, and ERK were found constitutively activated in HK‐1 cells and the activities could be inhibited by the EGFR inhibitor AG1478. A sub‐lethal concentration of AG1478 was found to further enhance the irreversible cell damage induced by Zn‐BC‐AM PDT in HK‐1 cells. Pre‐incubation of the cells with specific inhibitors of EGFR (AG1478), PI3k/Akt (LY294002), or MEK/ERK (PD98059) before light irradiation were found to enhance Zn‐BC‐AM PDT‐induced formation of apoptotic cells. The efficacy of Zn‐BC‐AM PDT can be increased through the inhibition of EGFR/PI3K/Akt and EGFR/MEK/ERK signaling pathways in NPC cells. Combination therapy with Zn‐BC‐AM PDT and EGFR inhibitors may further be developed for the treatment of advanced NPC. J. Cell. Biochem. 108: 1356–1363, 2009. © 2009 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.     

Flavone and isoflavone derivatives of terrestrial plants as larval settlement inhibitors of the barnacle Balanus amphitrite

To determine whether they could serve as non-toxic or less damaging alternative antifouling (AF) agents, 17 flavone and isoflavone derivatives were isolated from terrestrial plant extracts, purified and examined for their ability to inhibit the settlement of barnacle (Balanus amphitrite) cyprids. In larval bioassays, eight compounds showed strong anti-larval settlement activities, with EC(50) values <10 microg ml(-1). Through an analysis of the structure-activity relationship of these compounds, it was found that (1) the structural difference between flavones and isoflavones did not affect their AF activities; (2) the 5-hydroxyl group on the skeletons played a key role in AF activities; and (3) the presence of hydroxyl group or bulky group on C3 significantly reduced AF activities. A hydrolysis experiment using genistein, a typical active compound in this study, indicated that it was decomposed in the marine environment by hydrolysis reaction and that the degradation speed was significantly affected by pH. In a field AF test, genistein inhibited the attachment of B. amphitrite on panels coated with genistein-paint mixtures.     

Rapid β-oxidation of eicosapentaenoic acid in mouse brain: An in situ study

Analyses of brain phospholipid fatty acid profiles reveal a selective deficiency and enrichment in eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), respectively. In order to account for this difference in brain fatty acid levels, we hypothesized that EPA is more rapidly β-oxidized upon its entry into the brain. Wild-type C57BL/6 mice were perfused with either ¹⁴C-EPA or ¹⁴C-DHA via in situ cerebral perfusion for 40 s, followed by a bicarbonate buffer to wash out the residual radiolabeled polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) in the capillaries. ¹⁴C-PUFA-perfused brains were extracted for chemical analyses of neutral lipid and phospholipid fatty acids. Based on the radioactivity in aqueous, total lipid, neutral lipid and phospholipid fractions, volume of distribution (V_D, μl/g) was calculated. The V_D between ¹⁴C-EPA- and ¹⁴C-DHA-perfused samples was not statistically different for total lipid, neutral lipids or total phospholipids. However, the V_D of ¹⁴C-EPA in the aqueous fraction was 2.5 times higher than that of ¹⁴C-DHA (p=0.025), suggesting a more extensive β-oxidation than DHA. Furthermore, radiolabeled palmitoleic acid, a fatty acid that can be synthesized de novo, was detected in brain phospholipids from ¹⁴C-EPA but not from ¹⁴C-DHA-perfused mice suggesting that β-oxidation products of EPA were recycled into endogenous fatty acid biosynthetic pathways. These findings suggest that low levels of EPA in brain phospholipids compared to DHA may be the result of its rapid β-oxidation upon uptake by the brain.     

秋水仙素对草莓离体叶片再生和多倍体诱导的影响

以草莓(Fragaria×ananassa Duch.)栽培品种'雪蜜'(2n=8X=56)的离体叶片为外植体,研究了不同浓度秋水仙素对愈伤组织诱导率、不定芽再生率以及多倍体植株诱导的影响,并采用流式细胞仪对多倍体植株的倍性进行鉴定.结果显示,用质量体积分数0.1%、0.3%、0.5%和0.7%的秋水仙素浸泡2、4和6 d,草莓离体叶片均能诱导出愈伤组织和不定芽,但随秋水仙素浓度的提高和处理时间的延长,愈伤组织诱导率和不定芽再生率均显著下降.用不同浓度秋水仙素处理均能产生多倍体植株,倍性为9X、10X、11X、12X、14X和16X;随秋水仙素浓度的提高,多倍体诱导率呈现先上升后下降的变化趋势.用质量体积分数0.3%秋水仙素浸泡处理4 d是最佳的草莓离体叶片诱导方法,不定芽再生率达到40.5%,多倍体诱导率为100.0%,并且诱导产生出16X的植株.     

益生菌体外增殖因子的初步研究

目的研究单糖、pH、温度及时间对青春双歧杆菌、长双歧杆菌和类干酪乳杆菌体外增殖的影响。方法用甘露糖、半乳糖、山梨醇及果糖代替MRS中的葡萄糖,筛选出每种细菌的最适碳源。以此为基础,选择其最佳初始pH、培养温度、碳源添加量及培养时间。结果青春双歧杆菌、长双歧杆菌和类干酪乳杆菌的最适碳源分别为葡萄糖、甘露糖和半乳糖;最佳初始pH为6.0、7.0和6.0;培养温度为42、30和30℃;碳源添加量为20、15和25 g/L;培养时间都为28-48 h。结论益生菌具有不同的最适增殖条件,本文研究结果为优化益生菌的生长条件提供了基础数据。     

The role of noise in a predator–prey model with Allee effect

The existence and implications of alternative stable states in ecological systems have been investigated extensively within deterministic models. However, it is known that natural systems are undeniably subject to random fluctuations, arising from either environmental variability or internal effects. Thus, in this paper, we study the role of noise on the pattern formation of a spatial predator–prey model with Allee effect. The obtained results show that the spatially extended system exhibits rich dynamic behavior. More specifically, the stationary pattern can be induced to be a stable target wave when the noise intensity is small. As the noise intensity is increased, patchy invasion emerges. These results indicate that the dynamic behavior of predator–prey models may be partly due to stochastic factors instead of deterministic factors, which may also help us to understand the effects arising from the undeniable susceptibility to random fluctuations of real ecosystems.     

乙烯对网纹甜瓜花器官及花粉结构和活力的影响

以网纹甜瓜‘西域1号'为材料,于幼苗三叶一心期喷施浓度为150 mg/L的乙烯利诱导主蔓形成两性花,以清水为对照,比较乙烯处理后形成的主蔓、侧蔓和对照侧蔓两性花,以及处理与对照雄花外观形态、解剖结构及花粉表面超微结构间的异同,并对其花粉活力进行了测定,以明确乙烯对甜瓜花器官形态及花粉结构和活力的影响.结果表明:乙烯诱导形成的主蔓两性花外观形态和解剖结构与对照侧蔓两性花没有差异,花粉超微结构相似,但存在部分畸形花粉,花粉活力仅为70%左右,显著低于其他花粉的活力,但其雌蕊发育正常,授粉后可正常结实.研究证实,乙烯处理对主蔓雄花及侧蔓两性花器官形态及花粉结构和活力无显著影响.     

枇杷果实发育过程中糖积累及相关酶活性变化研究

以'青种'、'霸红'和'鸡蛋白'3个枇杷品种为材料,测定不同果实发育时期果实中蔗糖、葡萄糖和果糖含量以及蔗糖代谢相关酶即酸性转化酶(AI)、中性转化酶(NI)、蔗糖合成酶(SS)和蔗糖磷酸合成酶(SPS)的活性,并对果实中糖积累与酶活性的关系进行了分析.结果表明:在果实膨大期(5月3日)之前,3种枇杷果实的蔗糖、葡萄糖和果糖积累缓慢,之后则迅速积累,存在着明显的转折点;果实成熟(5月23日)之后糖分积累速度趋于平稳.3种枇杷果实在发育过程中转化酶、蔗糖合成酶和蔗糖磷酸合成酶的活性变化与3种糖积累的动态变化趋势相一致.NI和AI活性在果实膨大期之前都较低且没有明显的变化,之后均快速上升;SS和SPS的活性在果实膨大期之前都很低且几乎无变化,随后'鸡蛋白'的活性迅速上升至果实成熟之后便缓慢上升,而'青种'和'霸红'随果实成熟度的增加而升高,但均低于'鸡蛋白'.可见,枇杷果实膨大期是糖分积累代谢活跃期,其糖积累受蔗糖代谢相关酶综合调控.     

植物发育与microRNA

microRNA为动、植物的一类内源、非编码小分子RNA,其长度约为23nt,对动、植物的发育具有非常重要的调节作用.microRNA作为调节类的核酸分子,通过识别和负调控靶基因来行使其生物学功能,多数microRNA的表达具有时空特异性,它们对植物的发育有多向性调节,在发育的多个层面具有重要的功能,有些microRNA的调节作用还要受到外因的诱导.该文对近年来国内外有关microRNA在植物发育过程中的功能及其研究进展进行综述.