Temperature sensitivity of phospho-Ser(473)-PKB/AKT

The phospho-PKB/Akt status is often used as surrogate marker to measure activation of the PI3K/Akt/mTOR signal transduction pathway. Though, inconsistencies of the p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt status have raised doubts in the validity of p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt phosphorylation as endpoint. Here, we determined that p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt but not p-Thr³⁰⁸-PKB/Akt phosphorylation is highly temperature sensitive. p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt phosphorylation was rapidly reduced to levels below 50% on exposure to 20-25 °C in murine and human cell lines including cells expressing constitutively active PI3K or lacking PTEN. Down-regulation of p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt was reversible and re-exposure to physiological temperature resulted in increased p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt phosphorylation levels. Phosphatase activity at low temperature was sustained at 75% baseline level and phosphatase inhibition prevented p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt dephosphorylation induced by the low temperature shift. Interestingly temperature-dependent deregulation of the p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt status was also observed in response to irradiation. Thus our data demonstrate that minimal additional stress factors deregulate the PI3K/Akt-survival pathway and the p-Ser⁴⁷³-PKB/Akt status as experimental endpoint.     

Inhibition of phosphorylated Ser473‐Akt from translocating into the nucleus contributes to 2‐cell arrest and defective zygotic genome activation in mouse preimplantation embryogenesis

Phosphorylated Ser473‐Akt (p‐Ser473‐Akt) is extensively studied as a correlate for the activity of Akt, which plays an important role in mouse oogenesis and preimplantation embryogenesis. However, little progress has been made about its effect on the mouse zygotic genome activation (ZGA) of 2‐cell stage in mouse preimplantation embryos. In this study, we confirmed its localization in the pronuclei of 1‐cell embryos and found that p‐Ser473‐Akt acquired prominent nucleus localization in 2‐cell embryos physiologically. Akt specific inhibitors API‐2 and MK2206 could inhibit the development of mouse preimplantation embryos in vitro, and induce 2‐cell arrest at certain concentrations. 2‐cell embryos exposed to 2.0 μmol/L API‐2 or 30 μmol/L MK2206 displayed attenuated immunofluorescence intensity of p‐Ser473‐Akt in the nucleus. Simultaneously, qRT‐PCR results revealed that 2.0 μmol/L API‐2 treatment significantly downregulated the mRNA pattern of MuERV‐L and eIF‐1A, two marker genes of ZGA, suggesting a defect in ZGA compared with that of control group. Collectively, our work demonstrated the nuclear localization of p‐Ser473‐Akt during major ZGA, and Akt specific inhibitors API‐2 and MK2206 which led to 2‐cell arrest inhibited p‐Ser473‐Akt from translocating into the nucleus of 2‐cell embryos with defective ZGA as well, implying p‐Ser473‐Akt may be a potential player in the major ZGA of 2‐cell mouse embryos.     

Transforming growth factor-beta1 stimulated protein kinase B serine-473 and focal adhesion kinase tyrosine phosphorylation dependent on cell adhesion in human hepatocellular carcinoma SMMC-7721 cells

Transforming growth factor-beta1 (TGF-beta1) is a potent growth inhibitor and apoptosis inducer for most normal cells. However, tumor cells are commonly nevertheless sensitive to the tumor-suppressing effects of TGF-beta1. In this paper, we focus on the effects of TGF-beta1 on two important anti-apoptotic protein kinases, protein kinase B (PKB), and focal adhesion kinase (FAK), in SMMC-7721 cells. We found that PKB-Ser-473 phosphorylation was apparently up-regulated by TGF-beta1. In the meantime, PKB-Thr-308 phosphorylation was slightly up-regulated by TGF-beta1. TGF-beta1 could also enhance FAK-Tyr phosphorylation. We observed that integrin-linked kinase (ILK) was also up-regulated by TGF-beta1 in good accordance with PKB-Ser-473 phosphorylation. We first found that TGF-beta1 could stimulate PKB-Ser-473 phosphorylation possibly via up-regulating ILK expression. Furthermore, we also failed to detect PKB-Ser-473 and FAK-Tyr phosphorylation with various concentrations of TGF-beta1 treatment when cells were kept in suspension. The above results indicate that PKB-Ser-473 and FAK-Tyr phosphorylation stimulated by TGF-beta1 are both dependent on cell adhesion.     

Some biochemical aspects of the protective effect of strontium chloride on γ-irradiated rats

The effect of treatment with SrCl₂ (10 mg 100 g^–) on rats 15 min prior to whole body -irradiation (7.5 Gy) was studied. The hazardous effects of irradiation were greatly corrected in the treated group. The hyperglycemic effect and liver glycogen accumulation in the untreated group decreased to normal level. The enzymatic activities of serum alkaline phosphatase, alanine and aspartate aminotransferases, and lactate dehydrogenase were greatly affected, showing insignificant changes in the treated group of animals. Life span calculated on 50% survival was also significantly elongated by 36.3%. These results show the potentiality of SrCl₂ as a radioprotective agent. A proposed mechanism is discussed.     

LINC00473/miR-374a-5p regulates esophageal squamous cell carcinoma via targeting SPIN1 to weaken the effect of radiotherapy

Esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) is the most prevalent type in esophageal cancers. Despite accumulating achievements in treatments of ESCC, patients still suffer from recurrence because of the treatment failures, one of the reasons for which is radioresistance. Therefore, it is a necessity to explore the molecular mechanism underlying ESCC radioresistance. Long intergenic noncoding RNA 473 (LINC00473) has been reported to be aberrantly expressed in several human malignancies. However, its biological function in radiosensitivity of ESCC remains to be fully understood. This study explored the role of LINC00473 in radiosensitivity of ESCC cells and whether LINC00473 acted as a competing endogenous RNA to realize its modulation on radioresistance. We found that LINC00473 was markedly upregulated in ESCC tissues and cell lines, and its expression was remarkably related to cellular response to irradiation. In addition, knockdown of LINC00473 could sensitize ESCC cells to radiation in vitro. As for the underlying mechanism, we uncovered that there was a mutual inhibition between LINC00473 and miR-374a-5p. Spindlin1 (SPIN1) was verified as a downstream target of miR-374a-5p, and LINC00473 upregulated SPIN1 expression through negatively modulating miR-374a-5p expression. Furthermore, we revealed that SPIN1 could aggravate the radioresistance of ESCC cells. Finally, overexpression of SPIN1 reversed the LINC00473 silencing-enhanced radiosensitivity in ESCC cells. To sum up, we demonstrated that LINC00473 facilitated radioresistance by regulating the miR-374a-5p/SPIN1 axis in ESCC.     

The production of α-amylase (E.C.3.2.1.1.) byBacillus amyloliquefaciens,in a complex and a totally defined synthetic culture medium

The production of -amylase byBacillus amyloliquefaciens in both complex and synthetic culture media was examined at a laboratory fermenter scale. In a complex medium which supports fast growth rates, enzyme production occurred only when the growth rate declined, principally in the stationary phase. By contrast, in a synthetic culture medium with lactose as the carbon source supporting much lower growth rates, enzyme formation occurred simultaneously with cell growth. The repression of enzyme formation during rapid growth may be due either to catabolite repression or to the low level of mRNA synthesis concerned with the production of exoproteins.     

子宫内膜癌中PTEN与PI3K-Akt通路的表达及意义

目的：研究PTEN与P1K3-Akt通路在子宫内膜癌中的表达及临床意义。方法：采用免疫组化技术检测正常子宫内膜组织（24例）、子宫内膜样腺癌组织（55例）及子宫内膜浆液性癌组织（26例）中PTEN、P13Kp110α及P—AKTSer473的表达情况,分析其表达与组织病理参数的关系。结果：免疫组化结果显示：子宫内膜癌的PTEN表达缺失率,P13Kp110α及p-AKTser473表达阳性率均高于正常子宫内膜组织,且正常子宫内膜组织与子宫内膜样腺癌组织比较有统计学意义（P〈0．05）;随着肌层浸润深度增加,PTEN表达缺失率增加（P〈0．05）。结论：PTEN的表达缺失及P13Kp110α与P-AKTSer473的表达可能与子宫内膜癌的发生发展有关,尤其是在子宫内膜样腺癌的发生发展机制中占重要地位。     

子宫内膜癌中PTEN与PI3K-Akt通路的表达及意义

目的:研究PTEN与PIK3-Akt通路在子宫内膜癌中的表达及临床意义。方法:采用免疫组化技术检测正常子宫内膜组织(24例)、子宫内膜样腺癌组织(55例)及子宫内膜浆液性癌组织(26例)中PTEN、P13Kp110α及p-AKTSer473的表达情况,分析其表达与组织病理参数的关系。结果:免疫组化结果显示:子宫内膜癌的PTEN表达缺失率,P13Kp110α及p-AKTSer473表达阳性率均高于正常子宫内膜组织,且正常子宫内膜组织与子宫内膜样腺癌组织比较有统计学意义(P0.05);随着肌层浸润深度增加,PTEN表达缺失率增加(P0.05)。结论:PTEN的表达缺失及P13Kp110α与p-AKTSer473的表达可能与子宫内膜癌的发生发展有关,尤其是在子宫内膜样腺癌的发生发展机制中占重要地位。     

Rapamycin decreases tau phosphorylation at Ser214 through regulation of cAMP-dependent kinase

Preventing or reducing tau hyperphosphorylation is considered to be a therapeutic strategy in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Rapamycin may be a potential therapeutic agent for AD, because the rapamycin-induced autophagy may enhance the clearance of the hyperphosphorylated tau. However, recent rodent studies show that the protective effect of rapamycin may not be limited in the autophagic clearance of the hyperphosphorylated tau. Because some tau-related kinases are targets of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR), we assume that rapamycin may regulate tau phosphorylation by regulating these kinases. Our results showed that in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells, treatment with rapamycin induced phosphorylation of the type IIα regulatory (RIIα) subunit of cAMP-dependent kinase (PKA). Rapamycin also induced nuclear translocation of the catalytic subunits (Cat) of PKA and decreases in tau phosphorylation at Ser214 (pS214). The above effects of rapamycin were prevented by pretreatment with the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MEK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) inhibitor U0126. In addition, these effects of rapamycin might not depend on the level of tau expression, because similar results were obtained in both the non-tau-expressing wild type human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells and HEK293 cells stably transfected with the longest isoform of recombinant human tau (tau441; HEK293/tau441). These findings suggest that rapamycin decreases pS214 via regulation of PKA. Because tau phosphorylation at Ser214 may prime tau for further phosphorylation by other kinases, our findings provide a novel possible mechanism by which rapamycin reduces or prevents tau hyperphosphorylation.