ß-Alanine and ß-Aminoisobutyric Acid Levels in Two Siblings With Dihydropyrimidinase Deficiency

Dihydropyrimidinase (DHP) deficiency is an inborn error of the pyrimidine degradation pathway, affecting the hydrolytic ring opening of the dihydropyrimidines. In two siblings with a complete DHP deficiency and a variable clinical presentation, a normal concentration of ß-alanine and strongly decreased levels of ß-aminoisobutyric acid were observed in plasma, urine and CSF. No major differences were observed for the concentrations of the ß-amino acids in plasma and urine between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sibling. Thus, the relevance of the shortage of ß-aminoisobutyric acid for the onset of a clinical phenotype in patients with DHP deficiency remains to be established.     

Effects of beta-endorphin on body temperature in mice at different ambient temperatures

The effect of intracerebroventricular injection of beta-endorphin (beta-END) on body temperature of mice was studied at ambient temperatures (Ta) of 10 degrees, 20 degrees and 31 degrees C. Doses between 0.1 and 10.0 microgram/mouse were studied. The lower (less than 1 microgram) doses of beta-END produced a hyperthermia at all Ta's studied. The higher doses of beta-END produced hyper- or hypothermia depending on the Ta. The subcutaneous injection of naloxone (1 mg/kg) antagonized the high dose hypothermic effects, but not the hyperthermic effect of beta-END. These data suggest that there may be different receptors and/or sites of action for high and low doses of beta-END.     

Expression of serglycin in human disc is increased in degenerated discs and up-regulated in vitro by exposure to IL-1ß or TNF-α

We investigated whether the multifunctional intercellular proteoglycan, serglycin, is expressed in human intervertebral disc cells and assessed its localization. We also investigated expression levels of serglycin in human annulus fibrosus (annulus) cells exposed to IL-1ß and TNF-α, which are two proinflammatory cytokines that are expressed during disc degeneration. Immunolocalization of serglycin was common in many cells of the human annulus, but less common in the nucleus pulposus (nucleus). Both intracellular and cell membrane localization were observed. Annulus cells from Thompson grades III, IV and V degenerated discs exhibited a 4.69 fold up-regulation in serglycin expression vs. cells from healthier grades I and II discs. In monolayer annulus cell culture, cells from more degenerated discs exhibited a 9.4 fold up-regulation of serglycin expression compared to cells from healthier discs. Exposure of cultured cells to IL-1ß or TNF-α caused significant up-regulation of serglycin expression. We found that serglycin expression increased with increasing disc degeneration both in vivo and in vitro, and also increased with exposure in vitro to IL-1ß and TNF-α.     

微小RNA-223(miR-223)在脓毒症早期诊断、炎症程度评估中的价值研究

摘要 目的：分析微小RNA-223（miR-223）在脓毒症的早期诊断、炎症严重程度评估中的检测价值。方法：通过便利抽样法选定本院2020年5月至2022年5月住院的30例脓毒症患者作为观察组,选取同期门诊体检中心30例健康体检者作为对照组,检测、比较两组外周血miR-223、血清降钙素原（PCT）、C反应蛋白（CRP）,比较脓毒症患者中轻度组、严重组外周血miR-223、血清PCT、CRP,比较脓毒症患者中死亡组、存活组外周血miR-223、血清PCT、CRP,Spearman分析miR-223与PCT、CRP的相关性,绘制ROC曲线,计算曲线下面积（AUC）,分析miR-223与PCT、CRP对脓毒症的预测价值。结果：观察组外周血miR-223、血清PCT、CRP水平均高于对照组,P＜0.05（差异均具有统计学意义）。严重组外周血miR-223、血清PCT、CRP水平均高于轻度组,P＜0.05（差异均具有统计学意义）。死亡组外周血miR-223、血清PCT、CRP水平均高于存活组,P＜0.05（差异均具有统计学意义）。miR-223与PCT、CRP均呈正相关性,P＜0.05（差异均具有统计学意义）（r值=0.796、0.785）。ROC曲线结果显示：miR-223+PCT+CRP诊断脓毒症的灵敏度（89.54%）、特异度（86.52%）明显高于miR-223（82.37%、80.44%）、PCT（78.34%、75.34%）、CRP（75.12%、74.07%）,P＜0.05（差异均具有统计学意义）。结论：脓毒症患者机体外周血miR-223水平较高,且外周血miR-223与血清PCT、CRP呈正相关性,miR-223联合PCT、CRP可提高脓毒症诊断灵敏度、特异度。     

MicroRNA-223 is a key factor in osteoclast differentiation

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of noncording RNAs that control gene expression by translational inhibition and messenger RNAs (mRNAs) degradation in plants and animals. Although miRNAs have been implicated in developmental and homeostatic events of vertebrates and invertebrates, the role of miRNAs in bone metabolism has not been explored. Here, we show that microRNA-223 (miR-223) is expressed in RAW264.7 cells, mouse osteoclast precursor cell lines, and plays a critical role in osteoclast differentiation. We constructed miR-223 short interfering RNA (siRNA) or precursor miR-223 (pre-miR-223) overexpression retroviral vectors, and established miR-223 knockdown by siRNA or pre-miR-223 overexpression in stably infected RAW264.7 cells. Tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive multinucleated cells were observed in miR-223 knockdown cells as well as control cells. In contrast, pre-miR-223 overexpression completely blocked TRAP-positive multinucleated cell formation compared with control cells. Apoptotic cells were not observed in this study. Our results indicate that miR-223 plays an essential role during osteoclast differentiation, and miR-223 might be a viable therapeutic target for a range of bone metabolic disorders with excess osteoclast activity.     

miR-223促进小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞复制性衰老

微小RNA（MicroRNAs（或miRNAs）是作为强大的基因表达调控子,广泛参与多种生命过程,在细胞衰老进程中的作用也日益受到关注。miR-223是一个典型的抑癌基因,可显著抑制细胞增殖能力。此外,miR-223与阿尔茨海默症、心血管疾病以及类风湿性关节炎等衰老相关疾病的发生发展密切相关。尽管如此,miR-223在细胞衰老进程中的作用及其分子机制尚未见报道。本研究通过连续传代建立了小鼠胚胎成纤维细胞（MEF细胞）的复制性衰老模型,并利用荧光定量qRT-PCR检测发现,miR-223在衰老MEF细胞中的表达水平显著上调。随后,通过转染miR-223模拟物Agomir-223在MEF细胞中过表达miR-223,结果显示过表达miR-223可显著促进MEF细胞的衰老表型并抑制其增殖能力,而抑制miR-223的表达可延缓MEF细胞的复制性衰老进程。进一步利用生物信息学方法预测获得多个miR-223的候选衰老相关靶基因,包括Rasa1、Ddit4和Smad1等。然而双萤光素酶报告系统结果显示,miR-223并不显著影响其萤光强度,表明它们很可能并不是miR-223的下游靶基因。综上所述,miR-223可显著促进MEF细胞复制性衰老,然而其调节细胞衰老进程的分子机制依然有待深入研究。     

223Ra-dichloride spectrometric characterization: Searching for the presence of long-lived isotopes with radiological protection implications

²²³Ra-dichloride was approved with the commercial name of Xofigo in 2014 for treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer.²²³Ra is obtained by neutron irradiation of ²²⁶Ra yielding ²²⁷Ac, which decays to ²²⁷Th and ²²³Fr, both decaying to ²²³Ra. Since ²²³Ra is predominantly (95.3%) an alpha emitter with a 11.42 days long half-life, the radiopharmaceutical, its remnants, the patient, and waste material can be managed and disposed with low radiation protection requirements.²²⁷Ac is a long-lived (T_1/2 = 21.77 years) beta emitter that demands strong radiation protection measures. In particular waste disposal has to follow the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and European Commission (EC) regulations. Since ²²⁷Ac is involved in the production of ²²³Ra, an impurity analysis of each batch is required after production. Due to time restrictions, the manufacturer’s detection limit (<0.001%) exceeds the one required to assure that ²²⁷Ac concentrations are below direct disposal levels. To improve the detection limit, long-term accurate spectroscopy is required.Alpha and gamma spectroscopy measurements were carried out at the Complutense University Nuclear Physics Laboratory. After twelve months follow up of a sample, ²²⁷Ac concentration was found to be smaller than 10⁻⁹. This allows for direct waste disposal and no additional radiation protection restrictions than those required for ²²³Ra. The presence of contamination by other radioisotopes was also ruled out by this experiment. Specifically ²²⁶Ra, involved in ²²³Ra production as the original parent and with a very long-lived (T_1/2 = 1577 years) alpha emitter, was also below the experimental detection limit.     

2-Methoxyestradiol attenuates chronic-intermittent-hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension through regulating microRNA-223

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is prevalent in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome, and coexistence of PH and OSA indicates a worse prognosis and higher mortality. Chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH) is the key pathogenesis of OSA. Also, microRNA-223 (miR-223) plays a role in the regulation of CIH-induced PH process. However, the detailed mechanism of CIH inducing PH is still unclear. This study aimed to investigate the pathological process of CIH associated PH and explore the potential therapeutic methods. In this study, adult Sprague–Dawley rats were exposed to CIH or normoxic (N) conditions with 2-methoxyestradiol (2-Me) or vehicle treatment for 6 weeks. The results showed that 2-Me treatment reduced the progression of pulmonary angiogenesis in CIH rats, and alleviated proliferation, cellular migration, and reactive oxygen species formation was induced by CIH in pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (PASMCs). CIH decreased the expression of miR-223, whereas 2-Me reversed the downregulation of miR-223 both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, the antiangiogenic effect of 2-Me observed in PASMCs was abrogated by miR-223 inhibitor, while enhanced by miR-223 mimic. These findings suggested that miR-223 played an important role in the process of CIH inducing PH, and 2-Me might reverse CIH-induced PH via upregulating miR-223.     

miRNA-223 Suppresses Mouse Gallstone Formation by Targeting Key Transporters in Hepatobiliary Cholesterol Secretion Pathway

miRNA-223 has been previously reported to play an essential role in hepatic cholesterol homeostasis. However, its role in regulation of biliary cholesterol secretion and gallstone formation remains unknown. Hence, mice with conventional knockout (KO), hepatocyte-specific knockout (ΔHepa) / knockdown (KD) or gain expression of miRNA-223 were included in the study and were subjected to lithogenic diet (LD) for various weeks. The gall bladders and liver tissues were harvested for cholesterol crystal imaging, gallstone mass measurement and molecular analysis. Levels of cholesterol, bile salt, phospholipids, and triglyceride were determined in serum, liver tissues, and bile by enzyme color reactive assays. A 3'' UTR reporter gene assay was used to verify the direct target genes for miRNA-223. LD-induced gallstone formation was remarkably accelerated in miRNA-223 KO, ΔHepa, and KD mice with concurrent enhancement in total cholesterol levels in liver tissues and bile. Key biliary cholesterol transporters ABCG5 and ABCG8 were identified as direct targets of miRNA-223. Reversely, AAV-mediated hepatocyte-specific miRNA-223 overexpression prevented gallstone progression with reduced targets expression. Therefore, the present study demonstrates a novel role of miRNA-223 in the gallstone formation by targeting ABCG5 and ABCG8 and elevating miRNA-223 would be a potentially novel approach to overcome the sternness of cholesterol gallstone disease.     

Außerschulische Lernorte im Berufsfeldpraktikum

Teaching practice placements with Out-of-School Places of Learning In North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, teaching practice placements are an obligatory part of university teacher training. One placement, the Placement for Out-of-school Places of Learning, provides valuable insight into affine fields of work outside the school environment as well as the studentś opportunity to clarify whether teaching is their appropriate and correct choice of profession. For this purpose, the Educational Department of the Faculty of Biology of the University of Duisburg-Essen cooperates with selected Out-of-School Places of Learning like museums, zoo schools or biological science centers that offer educational programs and take account of a mutual concept with five moduls of education. This mutual collaboration supports the work of the Out-of-School Places of Learning. Furthermore, it enables the students to gain new insights and experiences which may be valuable to their future teaching. Beforehand, the university prepares students for the modules of this concept. In the practical part the students apply this theoretical knowledge, gather their own experience und reflect it with a portfolio mutually agreed on by both partners. First evaluations of our concept demonstrate high beneficial effects for all involved participants.     

外周血miR-223和血清BNP水平在慢性心力衰竭患者中的诊断价值

目的:探究慢性心力衰竭(chronic heart failure,CHF)患者外周血microRNA-223(miR-223)和血清B型利钠肽(B-type natriuretic peptide,BNP)水平及其诊断价值。方法:选取CHF患者65例(CHF组),其中美国纽约心脏病协会(New York Heart Association,NYHA)心功能分级Ⅱ级24例,Ⅲ级22例,Ⅳ级19例。另取40例同期在体检中心进行健康体检者(Control组),采用实时荧光定量PCR检测外周血中miR-223水平,ELISA检测血清BNP含量,ROC曲线评价miR-223及BNP对CHF的诊断价值。结果:CHF组左心室短轴缩短率及左心室射血分数显著低于Control组(P0.01);左心室舒张末期内径显著高于Control组(P0.01)。CHF组不同NYHA心功能分级患者miR-223和BNP水平均高于Control组,且miR-223和BNP水平随NYHA心功能分级逐渐递增,组间两两比较均显示统计学差异(P0.05)。miR-223诊断CHF的曲线下面积(area under the curve,AUC)为0.7375,临界值为43.51时灵敏度为92.82%,特异度为89.44%;BNP诊断CHF的AUC为0.7925,临界值为128 ng/L时灵敏度为92.93%,特异度为92.58%。结论:CHF患者外周血miR-223和血清BNP水平高于健康对照人群,其对CHF的诊断具有一定的临床参考价值。     

Exogenous supply of pantoyl lactone to excised leaves increases their pantothenate levels

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: All plants synthesize pantothenate but its synthesis and regulation are not well understood. The aim of this work is to study the effect of exogenous supply of precursor compounds on pantothenate levels in leaves. METHODS: Precursor compounds were supplied in solution to excised leaves and the pantothenate content was measured using a microbial method. KEY RESULTS: Pantothenate levels in excised leaves of Limonium latifolium, tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum), bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and grapefruit (Citrus x paradisi) were examined following an exogenous supply of the precursor compounds pantoyl lactone or beta-alanine. Significantly higher levels of extractable pantothenate were found when pantoyl lactone was supplied, but not when beta-alanine was supplied despite a measurable uptake of beta-alanine into the leaf. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that the pantoate supply may be rate-limiting or regulating pantothenate synthesis in leaves.     

The role of exo-(1-->4)-beta-galactanase in the mobilization of polysaccharides from the cotyledon cell walls of Lupinus angustifolius following germination

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: The cotyledons of Lupinus angustifolius contain large amounts of cell wall storage polysaccharide (CWSP) composed mainly of (1-->4)-beta-linked D-galactose residues in the form of branches attached to a rhamnogalacturonan core molecule. An exo-(1-->4)-beta-galactanase with a very high specificity towards (1-->4)-beta-linked D-galactan has been isolated from L. angustifolius cotyledons, and shown to vary (activity and specific protein) in step with CWSP mobilization. This work aimed to confirm the hypothesis that galactan is the main polymer retrieved from the wall during mobilization at the ultrastructural level, using the purified exo-galactanase as a probe. METHODS: Storage mesophyll cell walls ('ghosts') were isolated from the cotyledons of imbibed but ungerminated lupin seeds, and also from cotyledons of seedlings after the mobilization of the CWSP. The pure exo-(1-->4)-beta-galactanase was coupled to colloidal gold particles and shown to be a specific probe for (1-->4)-beta-D-galactan. They were used to localize galactan in ultrathin sections of L. angustifolius cotyledonary mesophyll tissue during CWSP mobilization. KEY RESULTS: On comparing the morphologies of isolated cell walls, the post-mobilization 'ghosts' did not have the massive wall-thickenings of pre-mobilization walls. Compositional analysis showed that the post-mobilization walls were depleted in galactose and, to a lesser extent, in arabinose. When pre-mobilization ghosts were treated with the pure exo-galactanase, they became morphologically similar to the post-mobilization ghosts. They were depleted of approximately 70% of the galactose residues that would have been mobilized in vivo, and retained all the other sugar residues originally present. Sharply defined electron-transparent wall zones or pockets are associated with CWSP mobilization, being totally free of galactan, whereas wall areas immediately adjacent to them were apparently undepleted. CONCLUSIONS: The exo-(1-->4)-beta-galactanase is the principal enzyme involved in CWSP mobilization in lupin cotyledons in vivo. The storage walls dramatically change their texture during mobilization as most of the galactan is hydrolysed during seedling development.     

miR-223 regulates migration and invasion by targeting Artemin in human esophageal carcinoma

Background

Artemin (ARTN) is a neurotrophic factor belonging to the glial cell-derived neurotrophic factor family of ligands. To develop potential therapy targeting ARTN, we studied the roles of miR-223 in the migration and invasion of human esophageal carcinoma.

Methods

ARTN expression levels were detected in esophageal carcinoma cell lines KYSE-150, KYSE-510, EC-9706, TE13, esophageal cancer tissues and paired non-cancerous tissues by Western blot. Artemin siRNA expression vectors were constructed to knockdown of artemin expression mitigated migration and invasiveness in KYSE150 cells. Monolayer wound healing assay and Transwell invasion assay were applied to observe cancer cell migration and invasion. The relative levels of expression were quantified by real-time quantitative PCR.

Results

ARTN expression levels were higher in esophageal carcinoma tissue than in the adjacent tissue and was differentially expressed in various esophageal carcinoma cell lines. ARTN mRNA contains a binding site for miR-223 in the 3'UTR. Co-transfection of a mir-223 expression vector with pMIR-ARTN led to the reduced activity of luciferase in a dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, suggesting that ARTN is a target gene of miR-223. Overexpression of miR-223 decreased expression of ARTN in KYSE150 cells while silencing miR-223 increased expression of ARTN in EC9706 cells. Furthermore, overexpression of miR-223 in KYSE150 cells decreased cell migration and invasion. Silencing of miR-223 in EC9706 cells increased cell migration and invasiveness.

Conclusions

These results reveal that ARTN, a known tumor metastasis-related gene, is a direct target of miR-223 and that miR-223 may have a tumor suppressor function in esophageal carcinoma and could be used in anticancer therapies.     

MiR-223 inhibitor suppresses proliferation and induces apoptosis of thyroid cancer cells by down-regulating aquaporin-1

To investigate the effect of miR-223 on thyroid cancer cells, further to study its potential mechanisms. The difference in miR-223 expression between normal thyroid Nthy-ori3-l cells and thyroid cancer SW579 cells was detected by PCR. The miR-223 overexpression and silencing vector transfection were verified by qRT-PCR. To further investigate the role of miR-223 in AQP-1, the AQP-1 siRNA vector was transfected on the basis of transfection of miR-223 inhibitor vector. The cell proliferation was detected by plate cloning, MTT, and cellular immunofluorescence assays. Cell cycle and apoptosis were detected by flow cytometry. Western blot was used to detect the expression of AQP-1 protein. The expression of miR-223 in SW579 cells was higher than that in normal cells. After transfection with miR-223 mimic, miR-223 expression was increased in SW579 cells. MiR-223 inhibitor transfection can inhibit SW579 cells proliferation, promote apoptosis, and inhibit cell cycle G0/G1 arrest. The SW579 cells proliferation was decreased, and the apoptosis rate was increased after transfection of AQP-1 silencing vector. Compared with the AQP-1 siRNA group, the SW579 cells proliferation rate was further reduced, and the apoptosis rate was significantly increased after co-transfection of miR-223 silencing vector and AQP-1 silencing vector. AQP-1 protein was highly expressed in SW579 cells, and miR-223 inhibitor can down-regulate the expression of APQ-1 protein. The expression AQP-1 protein was significantly reduced after transfected with AQP-1 silencing vector. Inhibition of miR-223 expression could suppress proliferation and promote apoptosis of SW579, and its mechanism is related to down-regulation of APQ-1 protein expression.     

Activity of Pyrimidine Degradation Enzymes in Normal Tissues

In this study, we measured the activity of dihydropyrimidine dehydrogenase (DPD), dihydropyrimidinase (DHP) and ß-ureidopropionase (ß-UP), using radiolabeled substrates, in 16 different tissues obtained at autopsy from a single patient. The activity of DPD could be detected in all tissues examined, with the highest activity being present in spleen and liver. Surprisingly, the highest activity of DHP was present in kidney followed by that of liver. Furthermore, a low DHP activity could also be detected in 8 other tissues. The highest activity of ß-UP was detected in liver and kidney. However, low UP activities were also present in 8 other tissues. Our results demonstrated that the entire pyrimidine catabolic pathway was predominantly confined to the liver and kidney. However, significant residual activities of DPD, DHP and ß-UP were also present in a variety of other tissues, especially in bronchus.     

Increased microRNA-223 in Helicobacter pylori-associated gastric cancer contributed to cancer cell proliferation and migration

Dysregulation of microRNA-223 (miR-223) was associated with gastric cancer (GC), in which Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) played important roles. However, the mechanism of relationships between miR-223 and H. pylori-associated GC was largely undiscovered. Here, we found the overexpression of miR-223 was related with H. pylori positive infection in vivo and in vitro in GC by relative quantification of qRT-PCR. Upregulated miR-223 was responsible for the poorer prognosis of GC with H. pylori positive, also. The result indicated not only overexpression of miR-223 stimulated the proliferation by CCK-8 assays and colony formation of H. pylori associated GC cells, but also migration and invasion by scratch assay and transwell invasion assays in vitro. Above all, all our data declared H. pylori infection played an important role in developing GC according to overexpression of miR-223, which increased cancer cell proliferation and migration.