Functional analysis of a miRNA‐like small RNA derived from Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus

Bombyx mori cytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV) is a major pathogen of the economic insect silkworm, Bombyx mori. Virus‐encoded microRNAs (miRNAs) have been proven to play important roles in host–pathogen interactions. In this study we identified a BmCPV‐derived miRNA‐like 21 nt small RNA, BmCPV‐miR‐1, from the small RNA deep sequencing of BmCPV‐infected silkworm larvae by stem‐loop quantitative real‐time PCR (qPCR) and investigated its functions with qPCR and lentiviral expression systems. Bombyx mori inhibitor of apoptosis protein (BmIAP) gene was predicted by both target prediction software miRanda and Targetscan to be one of its target genes with a binding site for BmCPV‐miR‐1 at the 5′ untranslated region. It was found that the expression of BmCPV‐miR‐1 and its target gene BmIAP were both up‐regulated in BmCPV‐infected larvae. At the same time, it was confirmed that BmCPV‐miR‐1 could up‐regulate the expression of BmIAP gene in HEK293T cells with lentiviral expression systems and in BmN cells by transfecting mimics. Furthermore, BmCPV‐miR‐1 mimics could up‐regulate the expression level of BmIAP gene in midgut and fat body in the silkworm. In the midgut of BmCPV‐infected larvae, BmCPV‐miR‐1 mimics could be further up‐regulated and inhibitors could lower the virus‐mediated expression of BmIAP gene. With the viral genomic RNA segments S1 and S10 as indicators, BmCPV‐miR‐1 mimics could up‐regulate and inhibitors down‐regulate their replication in the infected silkworm. These results implied that BmCPV‐miR‐1 could inhibit cell apoptosis in the infected silkworm through up‐regulating BmIAP expression, providing the virus with a better cell circumstance for its replication.     

Comparison Study of Bone Defect Healing Effect of Raw and Processed Pyritum in Rats

To evaluate and compare the effect of raw and processed pyritum on tibial defect healing, 32 male Sprague Dawley rats were randomly divided into four groups. After tibial defect, animals were produced and grouped: sham and control group were orally administrated with distilled water (1 mL/100 g), while treatment groups were given aqueous extracts of raw and processed pyritum (1.5 g/kg) for successive 42 days. Radiographic examination showed that bone defect healing effect of the treatment groups was obviously superior compared to that of the control group. Bone mineral density of whole tibia was increased significantly after treating with pyritum. Inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectrometry showed that the contents of Ca, P, and Mg in callus significantly increased in the treatment groups comparing with the control. Moreover, serological analysis showed that the concentration of serum phosphorus of the treatment groups significantly increased compared with that of the control group. By in vitro study, we have evaluated the effects of drug-containing serum of raw and processed pyritum on osteoblasts. It was manifested that both the drug-containing sera of raw and processed pyritum significantly increased the mRNA levels of alkaline phosphatase and collagen type I. Protein levels of phosphorylated Smad2/3 also increased. The mRNA levels of osteocalcin and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) type I and II receptors, as well as the protein levels of TGF-β1 in the processed groups, were higher than those in the control. In summary, both raw and processed pyritum-containing sera exhibited positive effects on osteoblasts, which maybe via the TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. Notably, the tibia defect healing effect of pyritum was significantly enhanced after processing.     

Mechanical Operation and Intersubunit Coordination of Ring-Shaped Molecular Motors: Insights from Single-Molecule Studies

Ring NTPases represent a large and diverse group of proteins that couple their nucleotide hydrolysis activity to a mechanical task involving force generation and some type of transport process in the cell. Because of their shape, these enzymes often operate as gates that separate distinct cellular compartments to control and regulate the passage of chemical species across them. In this manner, ions and small molecules are moved across membranes, biopolymer substrates are segregated between cells or moved into confined spaces, double-stranded nucleic acids are separated into single strands to provide access to the genetic information, and polypeptides are unfolded and processed for recycling. Here we review the recent advances in the characterization of these motors using single-molecule manipulation and detection approaches. We describe the various mechanisms by which ring motors convert chemical energy to mechanical force or torque and coordinate the activities of individual subunits that constitute the ring. We also examine how single-molecule studies have contributed to a better understanding of the structural elements involved in motor-substrate interaction, mechanochemical coupling, and intersubunit coordination. Finally, we discuss how these molecular motors tailor their operation—often through regulation by other cofactors—to suit their unique biological functions.     

Effects of SOX2 on Proliferation,Migration and Adhesion of Human Dental Pulp Stem Cells

As a key factor for cell pluripotent and self-renewing phenotypes, SOX2 has attracted scientists’ attention gradually in recent years. However, its exact effects in dental pulp stem cells (DPSCs) are still unclear. In this study, we mainly investigated whether SOX2 could affect some biological functions of DPSCs. DPSCs were isolated from the dental pulp of human impacted third molar. SOX2 overexpressing DPSCs (DPSCs-SOX2) were established through retroviral infection. The effect of SOX2 on cell proliferation, migration and adhesion ability was evaluated with CCK-8, trans-well system and fibronectin-induced cell attachment experiment respectively. Whole genome expression of DPSCs-SOX2 was analyzed with RNA microarray. Furthermore, a rescue experiment was performed with SOX2-siRNA in DPSC-SOX2 to confirm the effect of SOX2 overexpression in DPSCs. We found that SOX2 overexpression could result in the enhancement of cell proliferation, migration, and adhesion in DPSCs obviously. RNA microarray analysis indicated that some key genes in the signal pathways associated with cell cycle, migration and adhesion were upregulated in different degree, and the results were further confirmed with qPCR and western-blot. Finally, DPSC-SOX2 transfected with SOX2-siRNA showed a decrease of cell proliferation, migration and adhesion ability, which further confirmed the biological effect of SOX2 in human DPSCs. This study indicated that SOX2 could improve the cell proliferation, migration and adhesion ability of DPSCs through regulating gene expression about cell cycle, migration and adhesion, and provided a novel strategy to develop seed cells with strong proliferation, migration and adhesion ability for tissue engineering.     

The Effect of TCM-Induced HAMP on Key Enzymes in the Hydrolysis of AD Model Cells

Neurochemical Research - Alzheimer’s disease (AD) process is characterized classically by two hallmark pathologies: β-amyloid (Aβ) plaque deposition and neurofibrillary tangles of...     

Ion channel targeting in neurons

Electrical signaling by neurons depends on the precisely ordered distribution of a wide variety of ion channels on the neuronal surface. The mechanisms underlying the targeting of particular classes of ion channels to specific subcellular sites are poorly understood. Recent studies have identified a new class of protein-protein interaction mediated by PDZ domains, protein binding modules that recognize specific sequences at the C terminus of membrane proteins. The PDZ domains of a family of synaptic cytoskeleton-associated proteins, typified by PSD-95, bind to the intracellular C-terminal tails of NMDA receptors and Shaker-type K⁺ channels. This interaction appears to be important in the clustering and localization of these ion channels at synaptic sites. Recognition of specific C-terminal peptide sequences by different PDZ domain-containing proteins may be a general mechanism for differential targeting of proteins to a variety of subcellular locations.     

DIA-Based Proteomics Identifies IDH2 as a Targetable Regulator of Acquired Drug Resistance in Chronic Myeloid Leukemia

Drug resistance is a critical obstacle to effective treatment in patients with chronic myeloid leukemia. To understand the underlying resistance mechanisms in response to imatinib mesylate (IMA) and adriamycin (ADR), the parental K562 cells were treated with low doses of IMA or ADR for 2 months to generate derivative cells with mild, intermediate, and severe resistance to the drugs as defined by their increasing resistance index. PulseDIA-based (DIA [data-independent acquisition]) quantitative proteomics was then employed to reveal the proteome changes in these resistant cells. In total, 7082 proteins from 98,232 peptides were identified and quantified from the dataset using four DIA software tools including OpenSWATH, Spectronaut, DIA-NN, and EncyclopeDIA. Sirtuin signaling pathway was found to be significantly enriched in both ADR-resistant and IMA-resistant K562 cells. In particular, isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 2 was identified as a potential drug target correlated with the drug resistance phenotype, and its inhibition by the antagonist AGI-6780 reversed the acquired resistance in K562 cells to either ADR or IMA. Together, our study has implicated isocitrate dehydrogenase (NADP(+)) 2 as a potential target that can be therapeutically leveraged to alleviate the drug resistance in K562 cells when treated with IMA and ADR.