ILK在肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌的表达及其与临床病理特征和预后的关系

目的 探讨ILK在肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌组织中的表达情况，及其与病理分型、肿瘤分化、分期、淋巴结转移及预后的关系。方法采用S-P免疫组织化学方法和Western Blot法，检测肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌组织及相应癌旁肺组织中整合连接激酶（integrin-linkedkinase，ILK）的表达情况，并结合临床和病理资料进行分析。结果免疫组化结果显示：ILK在53／76（70％）的肺癌组织中阳性表达。其中鳞状细胞癌阳性率75％（33／44），腺癌阳性率62．5％（20／32），其表达与肺鳞状细胞癌的分化呈负相关（P〈0．01），与临床分期（P〈0．01）、淋巴结转移（P〈0．01）呈正相关；与肺腺癌的临床分期（P〈0．01）和淋巴结转移（P〈0．01）正相关，与分化程度无相关性（P〉0．05）。同时，其表达与患者的生存时间呈负相关（P〈0．01），与年龄、性别、肿瘤大小和组织类型等因素无关。Western Blot法进一步证实ILK在肺癌组织中的表达显著高于癌旁正常肺组织（P〈0．01），其表达与肺癌的分化（P〈0．01）显著负相关。结论肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌中，ILK与肺癌的侵袭和转移有关。ILK可作为判断肺鳞状细胞癌和肺腺癌预后的参考指标。     

Exposure to high glutamate concentration activates aerobic glycolysis but inhibits ATP‐linked respiration in cultured cortical astrocytes

Astrocytes play a key role in removing the synaptically released glutamate from the extracellular space and maintaining the glutamate below neurotoxic level in the brain. However, high concentration of glutamate leads to toxicity in astrocytes, and the underlying mechanisms are unclear. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether energy metabolism disorder, especially impairment of mitochondrial respiration, is involved in the glutamate‐induced gliotoxicity. Exposure to 10‐mM glutamate for 48 h stimulated glycolysis and respiration in astrocytes. However, the increased oxygen consumption was used for proton leak and non‐mitochondrial respiration, but not for oxidative phosphorylation and ATP generation. When the exposure time extended to 72 h, glycolysis was still activated for ATP generation, but the mitochondrial ATP‐linked respiration of astrocytes was reduced. The glutamate‐induced astrocyte damage can be mimicked by the non‐metabolized substrate d ‐aspartate but reversed by the non‐selective glutamate transporter inhibitor TBOA. In addition, the glutamate toxicity can be partially reversed by vitamin E. These findings demonstrate that changes of bioenergetic profile occur in cultured cortical astrocytes exposed to high concentration of glutamate and highlight the role of mitochondria respiration in glutamate‐induced gliotoxicity in cortical astrocytes. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Phylogenetic relationships and divergence dates of softshell turtles (Testudines: Trionychidae) inferred from complete mitochondrial genomes

The softshell turtles (Trionychidae) are one of the most widely distributed reptile groups in the world, and fossils have been found on all continents except Antarctica. The phylogenetic relationships among members of this group have been previously studied; however, disagreements regarding its taxonomy, its phylogeography and divergence times are still poorly understood as well. Here, we present a comprehensive mitogenomic study of softshell turtles. We sequenced the complete mitochondrial genomes of 10 softshell turtles, in addition to the GenBank sequence of Dogania subplana, Lissemys punctata, Trionyx triunguis, which cover all extant genera within Trionychidae except for Cyclanorbis and Cycloderma. These data were combined with other mitogenomes of turtles for phylogenetic analyses. Divergence time calibration and ancestral reconstruction were calculated using BEAST and RASP software, respectively. Our phylogenetic analyses indicate that Trionychidae is the sister taxon of Carettochelyidae, and support the monophyly of Trionychinae and Cyclanorbinae, which is consistent with morphological data and molecular analysis. Our phylogenetic analyses have established a sister taxon relationship between the Asian Rafetus and the Asian Palea + Pelodiscus + Dogania + Nilssonia + Amyda, whereas a previous study grouped the Asian Rafetus with the American Apalone. The results of divergence time estimates and area ancestral reconstruction show that extant Trionychidae originated in Asia at around 108 million years ago (MA), and radiations mainly occurred during two warm periods, namely Late Cretaceous–Early Eocene and Oligocene. By combining the estimated divergence time and the reconstructed ancestral area of softshell turtles, we determined that the dispersal of softshell turtles out of Asia may have taken three routes. Furthermore, the times of dispersal seem to be in agreement with the time of the India–Asia collision and opening of the Bering Strait, which provide evidence for the accuracy of our estimation of divergence time. Overall, the mitogenomes of this group were used to explore the origin and dispersal route of Trionychidae and have provided new insights on the evolution of this group.