Respiratory syncytial virus infection activates STAT signaling in human epithelial cells

Acute respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection causes airway inflammation and exacerbates asthma, but the mechanism of inflammation is poorly understood. The role of the STAT-signaling pathway in RSV infection in epithelial cells was examined in this study. DNA microarray analyses of RSV-infected human alveolar type II (A549) epithelial cells identified several genes whose expression was altered from -5.5 to +56.4-fold. Four of the highly expressed genes contained STAT-binding elements. In A549 and normal human bronchial epithelial cells (NHBE), RSV induced phosphorylation and nuclear translocation of STAT-1alpha that was abrogated when RSV attachment was blocked. Treatment with a JAK-2 inhibitor or transfection with dominant-negative STAT-1alpha blocked STAT-1alpha activation and RSV infection. RSV also activated STAT-3 and IL-6 specific antibodies blocked this activation. Thus, activation of the STAT-1alpha and STAT-3 pathways play a role in RSV infection.     

牙龈卟啉单胞菌影响牙龈上皮细胞miR1555p 通过JAK/STAR信号通路作用牙周炎的机制

目的 通过生物信息学对GEO数据库进行分析筛选miRNA后运用分子生物学手段验证并对机制进行深入探讨,为未来牙周炎治疗的生物标志物筛选及靶向治疗提供理论依据。 方法 通过生物信息学分析GEO数据库发现牙周炎患者中差异表达的miRNA。在DIANA生信预测网站中发现了与JAK/STAT信号传导方式有关的miRNA。随后,TargetScan被用于预测miRNA的靶mRNA,该mRNA不仅在牙周炎中差异表达,而且与JAK/STAT信号传导有关。利用基因集富集分析(GSEA)寻找与JAK/STAT信号转导途径紧密相关的基因集。通过实时定量PCR(qRTPCR)和免疫印迹法(Western blot)检测在牙周炎中差异表达并与JAK/STAT信号有关的miRNA和mRNA的表达。通过免疫组织化学(IHC)观察组织中IL6ST的表达。通过双重荧光素酶测定法证实了miRNA和mRNA之间的关系。此外,采用细胞内氧化活性氧红色荧光检测试剂盒检测活性氧(ROS)的变化。 结果 在牙周炎患者中,与正常组织比较,MiR1555p被下调,mRNA IL6ST被上调且差异均具有统计学意义(t=9.188 7、2.852 1,P=0.000 6、0.015 7)。与对照组比较,miR1555p在P.gingivalis处理组表达情况出现明显下降且IL6ST在处理后表达量出现明显升高,差异均有统计学意义(t=2.125 3、1.852 0,P=0.013 5、0.015 7)。miR1555p具有IL6ST 3′非翻译区的靶结合位点。通过过表达miR1555p能够明显抑制JAK/STAT信号通路pSTAT3、pJAK2、IL6ST蛋白的表达(t=1.924 8、2.530 8、3.107 5,P=0.023 1、0.011 6、0.010 0)。感染牙龈卟啉单胞菌后,细胞中的ROS产生增加(t=3.051 2、9.632 7,均P结论 牙龈卟啉单胞菌可抑制miR1555p表达,激活GECs中的JAK/STAR信号,促进牙周炎的发生和发展。     

β-Sitosterol activates Fas signaling in human breast cancer cells

beta-Sitosterol is the most abundant phytosterol. Phytosterols are enriched in legumes, oil seeds and unrefined plant oils as found in foods such as peanut butter, pistachios and sunflower seeds. beta-Sitosterol inhibits the growth of several specific types of tumor cells in vitro and decreases the size and the extent of tumor metastases in vivo. The effects of beta-sitosterol on the extrinsic apoptotic programmed cell death pathway in human breast MCF-7 and MDA-MB-231 adenocarcinoma cells were examined, along with the extent of its incorporation into cellular membranes and its effects on cell growth, expression of Fas receptor pathway proteins, and caspase-8 activity. The results show that beta-sitosterol exposure promotes its enrichment in transformed cell membranes and significantly inhibits tumor cell growth. Concurrently, Fas levels and caspase-8 activity are significantly increased. These actions are specific, as expression of other proteins of the Fas receptor pathway, including Fas ligand, FADD, p-FADD and caspase-8, remain unchanged. These findings support the hypothesis that beta-sitosterol is an effective apoptosis-promoting agent and that incorporation of more phytosterols in the diet may serve a preventive measure for breast cancer.     

Porphyromonas gingivalis induce apoptosis in human gingival epithelial cells through a gingipain-dependent mechanism

Background  

The oral pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis has been shown to modulate apoptosis in different cell types, but its effect on epithelial cells remains unclear.     

A phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase-dependent anti-inflammatory pathway activated by Salmonella in epithelial cells

Salmonella activates the phosphatidyl-inositol-3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway in epithelial cells, but its role in inflammation has not been previously elucidated. We show here that inhibition of PI3K in T84 intestinal epithelial cells results in augmentation of Salmonella-induced interleukin-8 (IL-8) production at the level of both protein and mRNA. The mechanism of this effect appears to involve altered activation of the extracellular growth factor-regulated kinase (ERK), a molecule that is implicated in the regulation of IL-8 expression. These results identify activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway as an anti-inflammatory signal that may contribute to the establishment of Salmonella in the intestine.     

Hepatocyte growth factor exerts a proliferative effect on oval cells through the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) is a potent mitogen for a variety of cells including hepatocytes. While rat oval cells are supposed to be one of hepatic stem cells, biological effects of HGF on oval cells and their relevant signal transduction pathways remain to be determined. We sought to investigate them on OC/CDE22 rat oval cells, which are established from the liver of rats fed a choline-deficient/DL-ethionine-supplemented diet. The oval cells were cultured on fibronectin-coated dishes and stimulated with recombinant HGF, transforming growth factor-alpha (TGF-alpha), and thrombopoietin (TPO) under the serum-free medium condition. HGF treatment enhanced [3H]thymidine incorporation into oval cells in a dose-dependent manner. On the contrary, treatment with TGF-alpha or TPO had no significant effects on [3H]thymidine incorporation into the oval cells. c-Met protein was phosphorylated at the tyrosine residues after the HGF treatment. AKT, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2), and p70(s6k) were simultaneously activated after the HGF stimulation, peaking at 30min after the treatment. The activation of AKT, p70(s6k), and ERK1/2 induced by HGF was abolished by pre-treatment with LY294002, a phosphoinositide 3-OH kinase (PI3K) inhibitor, and U0126, a mitogen-activated protein kinase/ERK kinase (MEK) inhibitor, respectively. When the cells were pre-treated with LY294002 prior to the HGF stimulation, the proliferative action of HGF was completely abrogated, implying that the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway is responsible for the biological effect of HGF. These in vitro data indicate that HGF exerts a proliferative action on hepatic oval cells via activation of the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway.     

口腔细菌对铜绿假单胞菌黏附及侵入肺上皮细胞能力的影响

目的 通过比较铜绿假单胞菌和口腔细菌单独或共同作用于肺上皮细胞时,细菌黏附和侵入细胞的能力,探讨细菌间相互作用在呼吸道感染的最初阶段的作用机制.方法 应用培养法和抗生素保护法检测铜绿假单胞菌和口腔细菌单独或共同作用于肺上皮细胞时,细菌黏附和侵入肺上皮细胞的能力.结果 铜绿假单胞菌与口腔细菌共同作用于肺上皮细胞,牙龈卟啉单胞菌和伴放线放线杆菌降低了铜绿假单胞菌的黏附能力,却增强了其侵入能力;而铜绿假单胞菌能够影响口腔细菌对肺上皮细胞的黏附,同时增强口腔细菌侵入肺上皮细胞的能力.结论 口腔细菌,尤其是牙周可疑致病菌主要通过增强铜绿假单胞菌对肺上皮细胞的侵入而影响呼吸道感染过程.     

Punicalagin promotes the apoptosis in human cervical cancer (ME-180) cells through mitochondrial pathway and by inhibiting the NF-kB signaling pathway

Increasing attention of plant derived therapeutic agents against cancer, investigating the anti-proliferative efficiency of plant derived chemicals have achieved increasing momentum for the design of anticancer drug. Punicalagin, dietary phytochemical altered the various cell signal transduction pathways associated with cell apoptosis and proliferation. This investigation was intended to examine the efficiency of punicalagin lying on cell viability so as to examine the molecular based punicalagin mechanism stimulated apoptosis via exploring the expression of Bcl-2 family proteins, and caspases also the cell cycle regulatory proteins p53 and NF-κB signaling in human cervical cancer cells. We also analyzed the morphological characteristic changes through mitochondrial membrane depolarization, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, TUNEL assay, AO/EtBr analysis in cervical cancer cells. Our findings demonstrated that punicalagin repressed the viability of cervical cancer cells in a dosereliant mode via stimulating mitochondrial mediated apoptosis. Moreover, our this study demonstrated that punicalagin blocked cervical cancer cell proliferation and stimulated cell apoptosis by suppressing NF-kappa B activity. Hence our study suggested that punicalagin exhibits opposing actions on NF-kappa B signaling networks to block cancer cell progression acts as a classical candidate for anticancer drug designing.     

牙龈卟啉单胞菌感染通过Wnt通路调节牙周膜干细胞的成骨分化

目的 观察牙龈卟啉单胞菌(P.gingivalis)感染通过Wnt通路调节牙周膜干细胞(PDLSCs)成骨分化的作用。 方法 培养原代PDLSCs,分为常规处理的对照组、P.gingivalis感染的P.gingivalis组和P.gingivalis感染并用Wnt3a处理的P.gingivalis+Wnt3a组,成骨诱导后茜素红染色并检测A405值,Western blot检测Wnt通路分子的蛋白表达量,碱性磷酸酶(ALP)试剂盒检测ALP活力,PCR检测成骨标志基因Runt相关转录因子2(Runx2)、骨钙素(OCN)的mRNA表达量。 结果 与对照组比较,P.gingivalis组Wnt3a、βcatenin、pGSK3β的蛋白表达水平(0.33±0.07)、(0.27±0.08)、(0.44±0.09)以及成骨诱导后A405值(0.55±0.08)、ALP活力(20.14±6.54)U/mL和Runx2、OCN的mRNA表达量(0.45±0.09)、(0.51±0.07)均明显减少;与P.gingivalis组比较,P.gingivalis+Wnt3a组成骨诱导后A405值(0.89±0.15)、ALP活力(29.44±5.26)U/mL及Runx2、OCN的mRNA表达量(0.89±0.17)、(0.81±0.18)均明显增加。 结论 P.gingivalis感染能够抑制PDLSCs的成骨分化,抑制Wnt通路是可能的分子机制。     

N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine interferes with the epidermal growth factor receptor-mediated signaling pathway

Many environmental factors, such as ultraviolet (UV) and arsenic, can induce the clustering of cell surface receptors, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). This is accompanied by the phosphorylation of the receptors and the activation of ensuing cellular signal transduction pathways, which are implicated in the various cellular responses caused by the exposure to these factors. In this study, we have shown that N-methyl-N′-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG), an alkylating agent, also induced the clustering of EGFR in human amnion FL cells, which was similar in morphology to that of epidermal growth factor treatment. However, MNNG treatment did not activate Ras, the downstream mediator in EGFR signaling pathway, as compared to EGF treatment. The autophosphorylation of tyrosine residues Y1068 and Y1173 at the intracellular domain of EGFR, which is related to Ras activation under EGF treatment, was also not observed by MNNG exposure. Interestingly, although MNNG did not affect the binding of EGF to EGFR, MNNG can interfere with EGF function. For instance, pre-incubating FL cells with MNNG inhibited the autophosphorylation of EGFR by EGF treatment, as well as the activation of Ras. In addition, the phosphorylation of Y845 on EGFR by EGF, which is mediated through c-Src or related kinases but not autophosphorylation, was also affected by MNNG. Therefore, MNNG may influence the tyrosine kinase activity as well as the phosphorylation of EGFR through its interaction with EGFR.     

Surface chemistry induces mitochondria-mediated apoptosis of breast cancer cells via PTEN/PI3K/AKT signaling pathway

Tumor cell can be significantly influenced by various chemical groups of the extracellular matrix proteins. However, the underlying molecular mechanisms involved in the interaction between cancer cells and functional groups in the extracellular matrix remain unknown. Using chemically modified surfaces with biological functional groups (CH₃, NH₂, OH), it was found that hydrophobic surfaces modified with CH₃ and NH₂ suppressed cell proliferation and induced the number of apoptotic cells. Mitochondrial dysfunction, cytochrome c release, Bax upregulation, cleaved caspase-3 and PARP, and Bcl-2 downregulation indicated that hydrophobic surfaces with CH₃ and NH₂ triggered the activation of intrinsic apoptotic signaling pathway. Cells on the CH₃- and NH₂-modified hydrophobic surfaces showed downregulated expression and activation of integrin β1, with a subsequent decrease of focal adhesion kinase (FAK) activity. The RhoA/ROCK/PTEN signaling was then activated to inhibit the phosphorylation of PI3K and AKT, which are essential for cell proliferation. However, pretreatment of MDA-MB-231 cells with SF1670, a PTEN inhibitor, abolished the hydrophobic surface-induced activation of the intrinsic pathway. Taken together, the present results indicate that CH₃- and NH₂-modified hydrophobic surfaces induce mitochondria-mediated apoptosis by suppressing the PTEN/PI3K/AKT pathway, but not OH surfaces. These findings are helpful to understand the interaction between extracellular matrix and cancer cells, which might provide new insights into the mechanism potential intervention strategies for tumor prognosis.     

牙龈卟啉单胞菌感染通过激活NLRP3小体诱导牙周膜细胞炎症反应及凋亡效应

目的 观察牙龈卟啉单胞菌感染通过激活含NLR家族PYRIN域蛋白3(NLRP3)小体诱导人牙周膜细胞(hPDLCs)炎症反应及凋亡的效应。 方法 取健康前磨牙样本并分离培养hPDLCs,分为牙龈卟啉单胞菌感染的感染组和常规处理的对照组,检测细胞中NLRP3小体[NLRP3、凋亡相关斑点样蛋白(ASC)、含半胱氨酸的天冬氨酸蛋白水解酶(Caspase)-1]、凋亡基因[自杀相关因子(Fas)、Fas配体(FasL)、B淋巴细胞瘤-2基因(Bcl-2)、Bcl-2相关x蛋白(Bax)、Caspase-3]的表达量及培养基中炎症细胞因子[白细胞介素(IL)-1β、IL-18、肿瘤坏死因子-α(TNF-α)]的含量。 结果 感染组hPDLCs中NLRP3、ASC、Caspase-1、Fas、FasL、Bax、Caspase-3的表达量及培养基中IL-1β、IL-18、TNF-α的含量明显高于对照组,细胞中Bcl-2的表达量明显低于对照组。 结论 牙龈卟啉单胞菌感染能够诱导hPDLCs的炎症反应及凋亡且该作用与NLRP3小体的激活有关。     

Recombinant tissue factor pathway inhibitor induces apoptosis in cultured rat mesangial cells via its Kunitz-3 domain and C-terminal through inhibiting PI3-kinase/Akt pathway

Tissue factor pathway inhibitor (TFPI) is an endogenous inhibitor of tissue factor (TF) induced coagulation. In addition to its anticoagulation activity, TFPI has other functions such as antiproliferation and inducing apoptosis. In the present study, we investigated whether or not TFPI induced apoptosis in cultured rat mesangial cells (MsCs) and the possible signal pathway that involved in the apoptotic process. We demonstrated that recombinant TFPI (rTFPI) induced apoptosis in cultured MsCs via its Kunitz-3 domain and C-terminal in a dose- and time-dependent manner by Hoechst 33258 assay, flow cytometry, nucleosomal laddering of DNA, caspase 3 assay. Because the serine/threonine protein kinase Akt has attracted attention as a mediator of survival (anti-apoptotic) signal in MsCs, we investigated the expression of phosphospecific-Akt and its downstream signal phospho-IκB-α and some other signal molecules like Fas and bcl-2. The results indicated that the process of apoptosis triggered by rTFPI is, at least in part, actively conducted by rat MsCs possibly through PI3-Kinase-Akt signal pathway not by binding to tissue factor. Our findings suggest that rTFPI has the potential usefulness in inducing apoptosis of MsCs under inflammatory conditions.