Mitral Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 2 Is Associated with Mitral Valve Surgery Outcome

Background

Matrix metalloproteinases play a role in regulating cardiac remodeling. We previously reported an association between tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 2 (TIMP-2) expression and mitral valve (MV) disease. However, the determinants and prognostic value of mitral TIMP2 after MV surgery are unknown.

Methods

This retrospective study of 164 patients after MV surgery in a tertiary medical center in Taiwan assessed mitral TIMP2 on a semiquantitative scale (0–2) by immunohistochemical staining. The primary endpoints were the composite of cardiovascular death and heart failure admission.

Results

Mean age was 50.4±13.7 years. After a mean follow-up period of 101±59 months, primary endpoints had occurred in 25 (15.2%) subjects. Patients with and without primary endpoint events significantly differed in terms of age (56.6±14.4 vs. 49.2±13.4 years, respectively; p = 0.013) and left ventricular end-systolic diameter (LVESD) (39.7±8.2 vs. 35.5±7.5 mm, p = 0.010) at surgery. The TIMP2 had a significant dose-dependent association with development of a primary endpoint (p = 0.002). Kaplan–Meier analysis showed that TIMP2 expression has a significant positive association with primary endpoint-free survival (log-rank test; p = 0.004). Cox regression analysis showed that independent predictors of primary endpoints were TIMP2 (hazard ratio [HR] 0.28; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.12–0.65; p = 0.003), age (HR 1.05; 95% CI 1.02–1.09; p = 0.003) and LVESD (HR 1.05; 95% CI 1.01–1.10; p = 0.020).

Conclusions

The lack of mitral TIMP2 expression is associated with increases in cardiovascular death and heart failure following MV surgery.     

Expression of the Bar Gene Confers Herbicide Resistance in Transgenic Lettuce

Resistance to bialaphos, a broad-spectrum herbicide, was introduced into Lactuca sativa cv. Evola by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation. A. tumefaciens strains 0310 and 1310, both carrying the bialaphos resistance (bar) and neomycin phosphotransferase (nptII) genes, were used for transformation. Primary transformants were selected on kanamycin sulphate-supplemented shoot regeneration medium. Integration of both transgenes was confirmed by non-radioactive Southern hybridisation. The hypervirulent plasmid ToK47 in A. tumefaciens strain 1310 generated multiple insertions of T-DNA in some transgenic plants; the absence of pToK47 (strain 0310) resulted in single gene inserts in all plants tested. Resistance to glufosinate ammonium was observed in axenic seedlings grown on medium supplemented with the herbicide at 5 mg l–1 and in glasshouse-grown plants sprayed with the compound at 300 mg l–1. Stable expression of the bar gene was observed in R2 generation plants. The kanamycin resistance of R1 seedlings was observed by germinating seeds on medium supplemented with 200 mg l–1 kanamycin sulphate. The presence of NPTII protein and PAT enzyme activity were demonstrated by ELISA and PAT enzyme assay respectively. Transgenes segregated in a Mendelian fashion in some plant lines in the R1 generation; herbicide resistance also segregated in the expected ratio in the R2 generation in most transgenic lines. This study confirmed that an agronomically important transgene can be integrated and stably expressed over several generations in lettuce.     

Expression of TIP-1 Confers Radioresistance of Malignant Glioma Cells

Background

Malignant gliomas represent one group of tumors that poorly respond to ionizing radiation (IR) alone or combined with chemotherapeutic agents because of the intrinsic or acquired resistance. In this study, TIP-1 was identified as one novel protein that confers resistance of glioma cells to IR.

Methodology/Principal Findings

Meta-analysis indicated that high TIP-1 expression levels correlate with the poor prognosis of human malignant gliomas after radiotherapy. Studies with established human glioma cell lines demonstrated that TIP-1 depletion with specific shRNAs sensitized the cells to IR, whereas an ectopic expression of TIP-1 protected the glioma cells from the IR-induced DNA damage and cell death. Biochemical studies indicated that TIP-1 protein promoted p53 ubiquitination and resulted in a reduced p53 protein level. Furthermore, p53 and its ubiquitination are required for the TIP-1 regulated cellular response to IR. A yeast two-hybrid screening identified that TIP-1, through its single PDZ domain, binds to the carboxyl terminus of LZAP that has been studied as one tumor suppressor functioning through ARF binding and p53 activation. It was revealed that the presence of TIP-1 enhances the protein association between LZAP and ARF and modulates the functionality of ARF/HDM2 toward multi-ubiquitination of p53, while depleting TIP-1 rescued p53 from polyubiquitination and degradation in the irradiated glioma cells. Studies with a mouse xenograft model indicated that depleting TIP-1 within D54 cells improved the tumor growth control with IR.

Conclusions/Significance

This study provided the first evidence showing that TIP-1 modulates p53 protein stability and is involved in the radioresistance of malignant gliomas, suggesting that antagonizing TIP-1 might be one novel approach to sensitize malignant gliomas to radiotherapy.     

Polymorphisms of the Tissue Inhibitor of Metalloproteinase 3 Gene Are Associated with Resistance to High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE) in a Japanese Population: A Case Control Study Using Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers

Introduction

High-altitude pulmonary edema (HAPE) is a hypoxia-induced, life-threatening, high permeability type of edema attributable to pulmonary capillary stress failure. Genome-wide association analysis is necessary to better understand how genetics influence the outcome of HAPE.

Materials and Methods

DNA samples were collected from 53 subjects susceptible to HAPE (HAPE-s) and 67 elite Alpinists resistant to HAPE (HAPE-r). The genome scan was carried out using 400 polymorphic microsatellite markers throughout the whole genome in all subjects. In addition, six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the gene encoding the tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase 3 (TIMP3) were genotyped by Taqman® SNP Genotyping Assays.

Results

The results were analyzed using case-control comparisons. Whole genome scanning revealed that allele frequencies in nine markers were statistically different between HAPE-s and HAPE-r subjects. The SNP genotyping of the TIMP3 gene revealed that the derived allele C of rs130293 was associated with resistance to HAPE [odds ratio (OR) = 0.21, P = 0.0012) and recessive inheritance of the phenotype of HAPE-s (P = 0.0012). A haplotype CAC carrying allele C of rs130293 was associated with resistance to HAPE.

Discussion

This genome-wide association study revealed several novel candidate genes associated with susceptibility or resistance to HAPE in a Japanese population. Among those, the minor allele C of rs130293 (C/T) in the TIMP3 gene was linked to resistance to HAPE; while, the ancestral allele T was associated with susceptibility to HAPE.     

Expression of Estrogen-Related Gene Markers in Breast Cancer Tissue Predicts Aromatase Inhibitor Responsiveness

Aromatase inhibitors (AIs) are the most effective class of drugs in the endocrine treatment of breast cancer, with an approximate 50% treatment response rate. Our objective was to determine whether intratumoral expression levels of estrogen-related genes are predictive of AI responsiveness in postmenopausal women with breast cancer. Primary breast carcinomas were obtained from 112 women who received AI therapy after failing adjuvant tamoxifen therapy and developing recurrent breast cancer. Tumor ERα and PR protein expression were analyzed by immunohistochemistry (IHC). Messenger RNA (mRNA) levels of 5 estrogen-related genes–AKR1C3, aromatase, ERα, and 2 estradiol/ERα target genes, BRCA1 and PR–were measured by real-time PCR. Tumor protein and mRNA levels were compared with breast cancer progression rates to determine predictive accuracy. Responsiveness to AI therapy–defined as the combined complete response, partial response, and stable disease rates for at least 6 months–was 51%; rates were 56% in ERα-IHC-positive and 14% in ERα-IHC-negative tumors. Levels of ERα, PR, or BRCA1 mRNA were independently predictive for responsiveness to AI. In cross-validated analyses, a combined measurement of tumor ERα and PR mRNA levels yielded a more superior specificity (36%) and identical sensitivity (96%) to the current clinical practice (ERα/PR-IHC). In patients with ERα/PR-IHC-negative tumors, analysis of mRNA expression revealed either non-significant trends or statistically significant positive predictive values for AI responsiveness. In conclusion, expression levels of estrogen-related mRNAs are predictive for AI responsiveness in postmenopausal women with breast cancer, and mRNA expression analysis may improve patient selection.     

Acquisition of Anoikis Resistance Up-Regulates Syndecan-4 Expression in Endothelial Cells

Anoikis is a programmed cell death induced upon cell detachment from extracellular matrix, behaving as a critical mechanism in preventing adherent-independent cell growth and attachment to an inappropriate matrix, thus avoiding colonization of distant organs. Cell adhesion plays an important role in neoplastic transformation. Tumors produce several molecules that facilitate their proliferation, invasion and maintenance, especially proteoglycans. The syndecan-4, a heparan sulfate proteoglycan, can act as a co-receptor of growth factors and proteins of the extracellular matrix by increasing the affinity of adhesion molecules to their specific receptors. It participates together with integrins in cell adhesion at focal contacts connecting the extracellular matrix to the cytoskeleton. Changes in the expression of syndecan-4 have been observed in tumor cells, indicating its involvement in cancer. This study investigates the role of syndecan-4 in the process of anoikis and cell transformation. Endothelial cells were submitted to sequential cycles of forced anchorage impediment and distinct lineages were obtained. Anoikis-resistant endothelial cells display morphological alterations, high rate of proliferation, poor adhesion to fibronectin, laminin and collagen IV and deregulation of the cell cycle, becoming less serum-dependent. Furthermore, anoikis-resistant cell lines display a high invasive potential and a low rate of apoptosis. This is accompanied by an increase in the levels of heparan sulfate and chondroitin sulfate as well as by changes in the expression of syndecan-4 and heparanase. These results indicate that syndecan-4 plays a important role in acquisition of anoikis resistance and that the conferral of anoikis resistance may suffice to transform endothelial cells.     

Altered Clock Gene Expression in Obese Visceral Adipose Tissue Is Associated with Metabolic Syndrome

Clock gene expression was associated with different components of metabolic syndrome (MS) in human adipose tissue. However, no study has been done to compare the expression of clock genes in visceral adipose tissue (VAT) from lean and obese subjects and its clinical implications. Therefore, we studied in lean and obese women the endogenous 24 h expression of clock genes in isolated adipocytes and its association with MS components. VAT was obtained from lean (BMI 21–25 kg/m²; n = 21) and morbidly obese women (BMI >40 kg/m²; n = 28). The 24 h pattern of clock genes was analyzed every 6 hours using RT-PCR. Correlation of clinical data was studied by Spearman analysis. The 24 h pattern of clock genes showed that obesity alters the expression of CLOCK, BMAL1, PER1, CRY2 and REV-ERB ALPHA in adipocytes with changes found in CRY2 and REV-ERB ALPHA throughout the 24 h period. The same results were confirmed in VAT and stromal cells (SC) showing an upregulation of CRY2 and REV-ERB ALPHA from obese women. A positive correlation was observed for REV-ERB ALPHA gene expression with BMI and waist circumference in the obese population. Expression of ROR ALPHA was correlated with HDL levels and CLOCK with LDL. Obese subjects with MS exhibited positive correlation in the PER2 gene with LDL cholesterol, whereas REV-ERB ALPHA was correlated with waist circumference. We identified CRY2 and REV-ERB ALPHA as the clock genes upregulated in obesity during the 24 h period and that REV-ERB ALPHA is an important gene associated with MS.     

人TIMP—3cDNA的克隆,表达及其抗血管生成作用

从人新鲜的胎盘组织中提取总ＲＮＡ,以ＲＴ－ＰＣＲ法获取了人组织金属蛋白酶抑制－３成熟蛋白的ｃＤＮＡ。序列分析表明,ＴＩＭＰ－３成熟蛋白含有１８８个氨基酸残基,其中１２个半胱氨酸残基在ＴＩＭＰ家族中高度保守。将人ＴＩＭＰ－３ｃＤＮＡ插入含７启动子的质粒ｐＥＴ－２４构建表达质粒ｐＥＴ－ＴＩＭＰ３,转化大肠杆菌ＢＬ２１,筛选表达菌株ＢＬＴＩＭＰ３。     

Expression of a Modified Cry1Ie Gene in E. coli and in Transgenic Tobacco Confers Resistance to Corn Borer

Gene transfer technology provides an alternativeapproach to breed insect-resistant crops. Insect-resistantgenes from plants or microbes could be introduced intoplants and the expressed insecticidal protein in plantcells could kill the target insects. Transgenic plantsexpressing a corresponding insecticidal crystal protein genefrom Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) have been developed sincethe early 1980s [1,2]. Analysis of Bt gene sequencesrevealed that they contain numerous motifs seldom foundin p…     

绿色荧光蛋白基因导入胡萝卜愈伤组织并获得表达

目的:将绿色荧光蛋白基因(green fluorescent protein,GFP)重组到胡萝卜愈伤组织细胞中,使其获得表达,为今后利用GFP基因作为植物报告基因提供条件。方法:通过冻融法将含有GFP基因的重组表达载体PBI1121转入到根癌农杆菌EHA105中,再利用根癌农杆菌介导的方法将GFP基因导入到胡萝卜愈伤组织细胞中,经过除菌和抗性筛选后观测转化结果。结果:荧光显微镜观测到被转化的愈伤组织在受蓝光激发后发出绿色荧光,利用PCR法扩增出约740bp的目的基因片断。结论:GFP基因在胡萝卜愈伤组织细胞中获得了表达。     

Transformation of Populus tomentosa with Insecticidal Cowpea Proteinase Inhibitor Gene

Cowpea trypsin inhibitor (CpTI) gene, an insecticidal gene, was introduced into poplar ( Populus tomentosa Carr. ) by gene transformation mediated by Agrobacterium tumefac/ens (Smith et Townsend) Conn. The influences on regeneration and transformation frequency of poplar by the concentration and addition of kanamycin were compared. Kanamycin resistant (Kmr) plantlets were obtained by 3 -4 cycles screening in selective condition. The ability of leaf regeneration and shoot subculture and rooting from the transformed and non-transformed plants in the presence of 50 mg/L kanamycin was examined. The presence of CpTI gene in the transgenic plants were confirmed by PCR and PCR-Southern blot. Assay on proteinase inhibition activity demonstrated that leaf protein extracts of the transgenic poplar showed higher inhibition activity against trypsin than that of control plants.     

The MRC1/CD68 Ratio Is Positively Associated with Adipose Tissue Lipogenesis and with Muscle Mitochondrial Gene Expression in Humans

Background

Alternative macrophages (M2) express the cluster differentiation (CD) 206 (MCR1) at high levels. Decreased M2 in adipose tissue is known to be associated with obesity and inflammation-related metabolic disturbances. Here we aimed to investigate MCR1 relative to CD68 (total macrophages) gene expression in association with adipogenic and mitochondrial genes, which were measured in human visceral [VWAT, n = 147] and subcutaneous adipose tissue [SWAT, n = 76] and in rectus abdominis muscle (n = 23). The effects of surgery-induced weight loss were also longitudinally evaluated (n = 6).

Results

MCR1 and CD68 gene expression levels were similar in VWAT and SWAT. A higher proportion of CD206 relative to total CD68 was present in subjects with less body fat and lower fasting glucose concentrations. The ratio MCR1/CD68was positively associated with IRS1gene expression and with the expression of lipogenic genes such as ACACA, FASN and THRSP, even after adjusting for BMI. The ratio MCR1/CD68 in SWAT increased significantly after the surgery-induced weight loss (+44.7%; p = 0.005) in parallel to the expression of adipogenic genes. In addition, SWAT MCR1/CD68ratio was significantly associated with muscle mitochondrial gene expression (PPARGC1A, TFAM and MT-CO3). AT CD206 was confirmed by immunohistochemistry to be specific of macrophages, especially abundant in crown-like structures.

Conclusion

A decreased ratio MCR1/CD68 is linked to adipose tissue and muscle mitochondrial dysfunction at least at the level of expression of adipogenic and mitochondrial genes.