人尿嘧啶糖基化酶cDNA的克隆及其在食管鳞癌组织中的检测

尿嘧啶糖基化酶是碱基切除修复过程的起始酶,对于维护基因稳定具有重要意义。在不同组织及不同细胞周期中,该酶的表达水平存在差异。通过反转录PCR克隆了人尿嘧啶糖基化酶的cDNA编码序列,进一步以克隆所得的已知UNG基因拷贝数的重组质粒作为定量标准,通过实时荧光定量RT-PCR测定了食管癌病人手术切除组织中尿嘧啶糖基化酶的mRNA水平,探讨了尿嘧啶糖基化酶表达水平与食管癌之间的联系。     

Role of p53/FAK association and p53 phosphorylation in staurosporine-mediated apoptosis: Wild type versus mutant p53-R175H

A novel survival role of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) that involves its nuclear translocation and direct association with p53 has been demonstrated. Here we examined the relationship between the p53/FAK interaction and Ser46 phosphorylation of p53 (p-p53^Ser46) in the apoptotic regulation of human esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (HOSCC) cell lines, expressing either wild type (wt) p53 or mutant (mt) p53-R175H. In contrast to the wt p53 cell lines, the mt p53-R175H cell line was resistant to staurosporine (STS)-mediated detachment and caspase-3 activation. Furthermore, despite the resistance of mt p53-R175H to Ser46 phosphorylation, both wt and mt HOSCC cells translocate FAK into the nucleus and maintain the p53/FAK interaction post STS treatment. These findings provide unique insight into how tumor cells harboring the R175H mutant may resist chemotherapeutic intervention.

Structured summary

MINT-7294020: FAK (uniprotkb:Q05397) physically interacts (MI:0915) with p53 (uniprotkb:P04637) by anti-bait coimmunoprecipitation (MI:0006)     

Genomic imbalances in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma identified by molecular cytogenetic techniques

This review summarizes the chromosomal changes detected by molecular cytogenetic approaches in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC), the ninth most common malignancy in the world. Whole genome analyses of ESCC cell lines and tumors indicated that the most frequent genomic gains occurred at 1, 2q, 3q, 5p, 6p, 7, 8q, 9q, 11q, 12p, 14q, 15q, 16, 17, 18p, 19q, 20q, 22q and X, with focal amplifications at 1q32, 2p16-22, 3q25-28, 5p13-15.3, 7p12-22, 7q21-22, 8q23-24.2, 9q34, 10q21, 11p11.2, 11q13, 13q32, 14q13-14, 14q21, 14q31-32, 15q22-26, 17p11.2, 18p11.2-11.3 and 20p11.2. Recurrent losses involved 3p, 4, 5q, 6q, 7q, 8p, 9, 10p, 12p, 13, 14p, 15p, 18, 19p, 20, 22, Xp and Y. Gains at 5p and 7q, and deletions at 4p, 9p, and 11q were significant prognostic factors for patients with ESCC. Gains at 6p and 20p, and losses at 10p and 10q were the most significant imbalances, both in primary carcinoma and in metastases, which suggested that these regions may harbor oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes. Gains at 12p and losses at 3p may be associated with poor relapse-free survival. The clinical applicability of these changes as markers for the diagnosis and prognosis of ESCC, or as molecular targets for personalized therapy should be evaluated.     

Live-cell imaging of conidial fusion in the bean pathogen, Colletotrichum lindemuthianum

Fusion of conidia and conidial germlings by means of conidial anastomosis tubes (CATs) is a common phenomenon in filamentous fungi, including many plant pathogens. It has a number of different roles, and has been speculated to facilitate parasexual recombination and horizontal gene transfer between species. The bean pathogen Colletotrichum lindemuthianum naturally undergoes CAT fusion on the host surface and within asexual fruiting bodies in anthracnose lesions on its host. It has not been previously possible to analyze the whole process of CAT fusion in this or any other pathogen using live-cell imaging techniques. Here we report the development of a robust protocol for doing this with C. lindemuthianum in vitro. The percentage of conidial germination and CAT fusion was found to be dependent on culture age, media and the fungal strain used. Increased CAT fusion was correlated with reduced germ tube formation. We show time-lapse imaging of the whole process of CAT fusion in C. lindemuthianum for the first time and monitored nuclear migration through fused CATs using nuclei labelled with GFP. CAT fusion in this pathogen was found to exhibit significant differences to that in the model system Neurospora crassa. In contrast to N. crassa, CAT fusion in C. lindemuthianum is inhibited by nutrients (it only occurs in water) and the process takes considerably longer.     

IGHMBP2过表达促进食管鳞癌细胞的侵袭和迁移

IGHMBP2(Immunoglobulin mu binding protein 2)基因编码一种解旋酶,参与DNA的复制和修复,并且作为转录调节因子在基因转录中发挥重要作用。IGHMBP2基因定位于11q13.2,该染色体区段在食管鳞癌中扩增频率较高。为了探讨IGHMBP2基因在食管鳞癌中的扩增情况及其在食管鳞癌中的作用,文章对本实验室前期报道的59例食管鳞癌原发肿瘤array-CGH数据进行分析,结果显示IGHMBP2基因扩增频率为28.9%(17/59)。进一步利用荧光原位杂交(FISH)和Western blot技术,发现食管鳞癌细胞系KYSE30、KYSE180、KYSE510和KYSE150中存在IGHMBP2基因扩增/增益以及蛋白高表达。敲降IGHMBP2后,KYSE30和KYSE150细胞的侵袭迁移能力明显降低(P<0.001),侵袭迁移相关蛋白E-cadherin的表达水平升高;敲降后转染IGHMBP2质粒,回复其蛋白表达后,细胞的侵袭迁移能力又得以恢复(P<0.01)。上述结果表明,IGHMBP2过表达可能通过降低E-cadherin的表达从而增强食管鳞癌细胞的侵袭迁移能力。     

顺铂靶向食管癌细胞周期Cx43表达的研究

目的:为研究顺铂治疗食管鳞癌细胞的靶向作用。方法:本研究使用流式细胞技术双变量分析检测顺铂对食管癌细胞周期进程和癌细胞周期的连接蛋白43(connexin 43,Cx43)表达的影响。结果:顺铂对食管鳞癌细胞周期的影响主要作用于S期的DNA复制,细胞阻滞于S期,G2/M期减少。顺铂诱导食管鳞癌细胞周期S和G2/M期的Cx43表达的大幅度改变。低浓度顺铂(由0~2μmol/L),Cx43表达增强;顺铂渐高浓度(2~12μmol/L),细胞Cx43表达由强逐渐变弱,特别是G2/M期细胞的Cx43表达活跃,易受顺铂影响。结论:我们的研究表明以顺铂处理食管鳞癌细胞,癌细胞周期的S期和G2/M期的Cx43表达与S期的DNA复制一样可作为的潜在治疗靶标。顺铂靶向作用细胞周期S和/或G2/M期细胞的特性可能减少或避免对非分裂细胞的影响。     

美洲黑杨不同无性系对分月扇舟蛾幼虫生长和食物利用的影响

本文研究了不同的美洲黑杨无性系对分月扇舟蛾Clostera anastomosis L.幼虫生长的影响。结果表明,抗性水平不同的无性系影响分月扇舟蛾幼虫体重、相对生长率、食物利用率和转化率。抗性较强的89-3号无性系对幼虫的生长有抑制作用,幼虫取食后,其食物利用率和转化率在第2天有显著下降,但随后表现不明显;而感性较强的74-4号无性系有一定的促进作用,幼虫取食后,其食物利用率和转化率都显著提高。     

Targeting chemokine pathways in esophageal adenocarcinoma

Esophageal adenocarcinoma (EAC) is one of the fastest growing malignancies in the US and needs newer therapeutic and diagnostic strategies. Chronic inflammation plays a role in the pathogenesis of EAC and contributes to the dysplastic conversion of normal esophageal epithelium to Barrett's esophagus and frank adenocarcinoma. Chemokines play important roles in mediating inflammation and recent evidence implicates these ligands and their receptors in the development and spread of various tumors. We demonstrated that the chemokines IL8, CXCL1 and CXCL3 are significantly overexpressed during esophageal carcinogenesis and accompanied by amplification and demethylation of the chr4q21 gene locus. We also demonstrated that IL8 levels can be detected in serum of patients with EAC and can serve as potential biomarkers. We now demonstrate that inhibition of IL8 receptor, CXCR2, leads to decreased invasiveness of esophageal adenocarcinoma derived cells without affecting cellular proliferation. Taken together, these studies reveal the important roles that chemokines play in development of esophageal cancer and demonstrate that these pathways can serve as potential therapeutic targets.     

Evaluation of a Novel Laser-assisted Coronary Anastomotic Connector - the Trinity Clip - in a Porcine Off-pump Bypass Model

To simplify and facilitate beating heart (i.e., off-pump), minimally invasive coronary artery bypass surgery, a new coronary anastomotic connector, the Trinity Clip, is developed based on the excimer laser-assisted nonocclusive anastomosis technique. The Trinity Clip connector enables simplified, sutureless, and nonocclusive connection of the graft to the coronary artery, and an excimer laser catheter laser-punches the opening of the anastomosis. Consequently, owing to the complete nonocclusive anastomosis construction, coronary conditioning (i.e., occluding or shunting) is not necessary, in contrast to the conventional anastomotic technique, hence simplifying the off-pump bypass procedure. Prior to clinical application in coronary artery bypass grafting, the safety and quality of this novel connector will be evaluated in a long-term experimental porcine off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) study. In this paper, we describe how to evaluate the coronary anastomosis in the porcine OPCAB model using various techniques to assess its quality. Representative results are summarized and visually demonstrated.