丹参酮ⅡA调节microRNA-1保护缺氧心肌细胞的作用研究

目的:研究丹参酮Ⅱ A(TanshinoneⅡA)通过调节microRNA-1抗心肌细胞缺氧损伤的作用。方法:原代培养新生大鼠心肌细胞,建立心肌细胞缺氧模型。MTT法检测心肌细胞存活率(%);TUNEL、流式细胞术测心肌细胞凋亡率;激光共聚焦检测心肌细胞内钙离子[Ca2+]i浓度的变化情况。结果:MTT结果显示丹参酮ⅡA对缺氧心肌细胞及过表达miR-1引起心肌细胞损伤具有保护作用。丹参酮ⅡA增加了缺氧心肌细胞的存活率(P0.05),同时给予丹参酮ⅡA和miR-1组与单独miR-1损伤组相比较,存活率也明显升高,呈现剂量依赖性。TUNEL结果显示丹参酮ⅡA可以抑制缺氧诱导的细胞凋亡,丹参酮ⅡA可以明显降低由缺氧导致的细胞凋亡率(P0.05)。共聚焦检测结果显示,缺氧损伤的心肌细胞内[Ca2+]i显著升高1322.72±5.16(vs正常对照组,P0.05),丹参酮ⅡA则有效抑制由缺氧引起过高的[Ca2+]i。miR-1诱导的细胞内[Ca2+]i升高至1349.33±62.63,约为正常对照组的1.96倍,而丹参酮ⅡA则有效抑制胞内过高的[Ca2+]i,从而发挥心肌保护作用。结论:丹参酮ⅡA可能是通过抑制胞内miR-1的表达,参与对钙离子浓度的调控,发挥其对心肌细胞的保护作用。     

外源性精胺对缺氧诱导乳鼠心肌细胞凋亡的影响及其机制

目的：观察外源性精胺对缺氧所致的乳鼠心肌细胞凋亡的影响,并探讨其机制。方法：复制原代培养乳鼠心肌细胞缺氧损伤模型（使用pH=6.8的Hank's平衡盐溶液作为细胞培养基,排出氧气,然后在缺氧箱中培养24 h）,细胞随机分为正常对照（Control）组、缺氧（Hypoxia）组和精胺干预（Hypoxia+Sp）组。Western blot检测心肌细胞多胺代谢关键酶（ODC、SSAT）蛋白质表达;CCK-8,Hoechst 33342染色观察细胞凋亡情况;光吸收法检测细胞（或培养液）内T-SOD和Caspase-3/-9活性,MDA、GSH含量;DCFH-DA染色观察细胞内活性氧（ROS）生成。结果：与正常组相比,Hypoxia组SSAT蛋白质表达、细胞凋亡率、MDA含量以及细胞内ROS生成增加,而ODC蛋白质表达、SOD活性、GSH含量降低;与Hypoxia组比较,Sp处理可减轻上述指标的变化。结论：外源性精胺可减轻缺氧引起的乳鼠心肌细胞损伤和凋亡,其机制与恢复多胺稳态和清除活性氧有关。     

钙与心肌缺血再灌注诱发的心肌细胞凋亡

细胞凋亡 ( Apoptosis)是最基本的细胞死亡过程 ,是一种普遍存在的生命现象。细胞凋亡与细胞增殖的动态平衡是多细胞生物维持其结构稳定及内环境动态平衡和生长发育所必有的最基本的生物学现象。不适当的细胞凋亡所致的凋亡失调性疾病( Disease of Disregulated Apoptosis,DDA)正受到人们的关注 [1]。这些疾病包括细胞凋亡减弱性疾病和细胞凋亡增强性疾病 ,前者如肿瘤、自身免疫性疾病、病毒感染及慢性炎症性疾病。后者包括神经元退行性疾病、造血衰竭性疾病、缺血性损伤等。在心血管系统疾病中 ,心肌梗塞、心肌缺血再灌注损伤、心肌炎、…     

细胞骨架与细胞凋亡及细胞内信息通路的关系

细胞骨架是细胞内最高级的组织者和管理者,根据功能将各种细胞器相对集中在细胞内的某一区域,并通过多种信息通路相互联系,使细胞内部形成一个"城市",各服务器进行有序的工作.此时,一些信号通过一定的作用模式,如诱导因素通过第二信使系统将信号传入细胞内,最终汇集到公共通道,改变细胞基因表达的类型、水平及其时序性,最后导致生理反应或程序性细胞死亡中特征性生物化学改变,但这种细胞内外的信号-受体-胞内传递-基因转录-应答反应的传递方式并不是一条龙式的单一联系,各条途径之间存在着多方式、多水平的横向联系和交互作用,形成信号传递网络.基于细胞骨架在细胞内的特殊地位和功能,可以相信,通过对细胞骨架及其与细胞内某些分子关系的研究,将有助于深入了解细胞内的信息传递规律,为揭示细胞内分子在体现细胞生物学特性方面的有机联系提供证据.     

缺氧诱导因子-1α在缺氧预处理预防心肌细胞损伤中的作用

本工作旨在研究缺氧预处理(hypoxic preconditioning,HPC)对于心肌细胞外信号调节激酶(extracellular signal-regulated proteinkinases,ERK)活性、缺氧诱导因子-1α(hypoxia-inducible factor-1α,HIF-1α)表达的影响,及其在缺氧复氧诱导心肌细胞损伤中的作用。通过在培养的SD乳鼠心肌细胞缺氧／复氧(H／R)模型上,观察HPC对于24h后H／R诱导心肌细胞损伤的影响,以台盼蓝排斥实验检测心肌细胞存活率、以TUNEL法检测细胞凋亡、并用荧光素染料Hoechst33258测定心肌细胞凋亡率：制备心肌细胞蛋白提取物,以磷酸化的ERK1／2抗体测定ERK1／2活性,以抗HIF-1α抗体检测HIF-1α的表达,并观察ERKs的上游激酶(MEK1／2)抑制剂PD98059对于HPC诱导的ERKs磷酸化、HIF-1α表达以及心肌细胞保护作用的影响,并分析细胞损伤与ERK1／2活性、HIF-1α表达量之间的相互关系。结果 显示缺氧复氧造成心肌细胞损伤,HPC可以增加心肌细胞H／R后存活率,降低凋亡率,并激活ERKll2,诱导HIF-1α表达：细胞凋亡与ERKs活性、HIF-1α表达量之间存在负相关,即ERKs活化、HIF-1α表达与预防细胞损伤有关：而ERKs活性与HIF-1α表达量之间存在正相关,ERKs的上游激酶MEK抑制剂PD98059可以消除HPC诱导的ERKs磷酸化、HIF-1α表达和心肌细胞保护作用。由此得出的结论是HPC可以提高乳鼠心肌细胞对于H／R的耐受性,其机制涉及ERKs介导的HIF-1α表达。     

靶向PUMA的siRNA对缺氧/复氧诱导大鼠心肌细胞凋亡的保护作用

为探讨p53上调凋亡调制物(p53 up-regulated modulator of apoptosis,PUMA)在大鼠心肌细胞缺氧/复氧(hypoxia/reoxygenatio,H/R)损伤中的作用,本研究将靶向PUMA的siRNA(si-PUMA)转染大鼠心肌细胞以建立PUMA沉默表达模型,观察其对心肌细胞H/R损伤的影响.RT-PCR和Western印迹结果表明,最适转染浓度50 nmol/L si-PUMA能靶向抑制H/R损伤心肌细胞的PUMA表达;MTT法检测心肌细胞存活率及培养基乳酸脱氢酶(lactate dehydrogenase,LDH)活性测定结果发现,si-PUMA组细胞存活率较H/R 6 h模型组明显提高,培养液中LDH活性显著降低(P<0.01);分光光度法及Annexin V-FITC/PI联合染色流式细胞凋亡检测结果显示,si-PUMA组caspase-3活性较H/R 6h组明显下调,细胞凋亡率明显降低(P<0.01);RT-PCR结果提示,与H/R6 h组相比,si-PUMA组Bax及Bcl-2表达分别出现显著下调及上调(P<0.05).以上结果表明,靶向PUMA的siRN...     

细胞内pH与细胞凋亡

基因表达及各种外源性信号诱导的生长因子依赖细胞凋亡过程中普遍存在细胞内酸化,细胞内酸化程度与凋亡诱导因素之间存在量效关系及与细胞凋亡发生率相关。特异性钠氢交换抑制剂通过抑制钠氢交换使细胞内酸化,诱导细胞凋亡。单纯的碱处理通过减少细胞内酸化的程度而呈现抗细胞凋亡作用。细胞内酸化是细胞凋亡过程中的重要环节,它能激活细胞内存在的酸性核酸内切酶及有关成分,促进DNA裂解而介导细胞凋亡。     

小剂量过氧化氢对大鼠心肌细胞钙瞬变及凋亡的作用

目的:探讨小剂量过氧化氢导致的氧化应激对大鼠心肌细胞钙瞬变及细胞凋亡的作用。方法:解剖取出成年大鼠心脏,应用langendorff方法分离心肌细胞,加入fluo-3荧光指示剂后,应用不同浓度的过氧化氢作用于心肌细胞,在共聚焦显微镜下测定心肌细胞内钙瞬变。分离并培养新生大鼠心肌细胞,观察过氧化氢处理心肌细胞后其形态的变化,从而评价小剂量过氧化氢对心肌细胞的凋亡作用。结果:应用0.125 mmol/L、0.25 mmol/L及0.375 mmol/L的过氧化氢作用于心肌细胞后,心肌细胞内钙瞬变幅度明显升高,并呈时间剂量依赖性。在培养的大鼠原代心肌细胞中加入0.25 mmol/L的过氧化氢后,心肌细胞发生凋亡的形态变化。结论:小剂量过氧化氢可开放心肌细胞L-钙通道,明显增加心肌细胞内钙瞬变,并导致心肌细胞凋亡。     

凋亡诱导因子介导缺氧/复氧致肥大心肌细胞凋亡的作用

心肌细胞凋亡导致心肌组织合胞体功能丧失,最终使代偿性心肌肥大向心力衰竭转化。过去的研究已经确认天门冬氨酸特异性半胱氨酸蛋白酶(caspartate-specificcysteinylproteinase,caspase)依赖机制在心肌细胞凋亡中的作用,但对caspase非依赖机制即凋亡诱导因子(apoptosis-inducingfactor,AIF)在心肌细胞凋亡中的作用尚不明确。本研究应用血管紧张素Ⅱ(0.1μmol/L培养12h)诱导培养的小鼠肥大心肌细胞,利用三气孵箱建立缺氧/复氧模型以模拟缺血再灌注。应用RT-PCR、Westernblot、siRNA基因转染、Hoechst33258染色法检测AIF在mRNA和蛋白质水平的表达及细胞凋亡的变化,分析AIF在缺氧/复氧致肥大心肌细胞凋亡中的意义。结果如下:(1)与对照组比较,缺氧8h组(H8h)和缺氧12h组(H12h)AIFmRNA及蛋白表达水平均显著升高(mRNA:0.52±0.04及0.85±0.10vs0.29±0.08,P<0.05;蛋白质:2.07±0.15和3.12±0.19vs0.29±0.04,P<0.05),即随缺血时间的延长,AIFmRNA及蛋白表达水平均显著增加。(2)与对应单纯缺氧组比较,缺氧后给予复氧刺激,H8h/R组和H12h/R组AIFmRNA及蛋白表达水平均显著升高(mRNA:1.09±0.12和1.41±0.23,P<0.05;蛋白质:4.57±0.25和5.71±0.27,P<0.05)。仅在H8h/R及H12h/R组,可见AIF核转位显著增加。(3)AIFsiRNA转染可显著抑制肥大心肌细胞AIF的表达,对缺氧时细胞凋亡无明显影响(P>0.05),但可显著降低缺氧/复氧诱导的肥大心肌细胞凋亡率(P<0.05)。同时抑制AIF及caspase-3活性,可显著加强单一抑制剂对缺氧/复氧诱导的肥大心肌细胞凋亡的抑制作用。(4)抑制caspase-3活性对缺氧/复氧诱导的AIF核转位无明显影响。上述结果提示,缺氧/复氧时AIFmRNA、蛋白表达和核转位均显著增加,且在缺氧/复氧诱导肥大心肌细胞凋亡中具有重要的作用。     

培养大鼠心肌细胞缺氧与复氧时H^＋—Ca^2＋交换的研究

大量研究表明：心肌细胞缺氧后再复氧,可因氧反常和ＰＨ反常造成细胞内Ｃａ＾２＋超载。通常认为,在心肌细胞发生ＰＨ反常后,Ｈ＾＋Ｎａ＾＋－Ｃａ＾２＋交换加强是细胞内Ｃａ＾２＋超载的重要机制。本实验结果表明：阻断了Ｈ＾＋－Ｎａ＾＋－Ｃａ＾２＋交换后,仍有部分Ｃａ＾２＋进入细胞,Ｃａ＾２＋内流量与缺氧时间成正比关系。在无Ｎａ＾＋溶液中也得到了同样结果,表明此时Ｃａ＾２＋内流是通过与Ｎａ＾＋无关的通路进入细     

Taurine prevents intracellular calcium overload during calcium paradox of cultured cardiomyocytes

Summary The effect of taurine on the cellular distribution of [Ca²⁺]_i, during the calcium paradox was examined by digital imaging of a single fura-2-loaded cell. Cardiomyocytes superfused with control medium containing 2mM Ca²⁺ exhibited typical transients associated with spontaneous beating. When the cells were exposed to Ca²⁺-free buffer, immediate cessation of both spontaneous contractions and calcium transients was observed as [Ca²⁺]; rapidly fell to a level of 3–6 × 10^–8M. Subsequent restoration of medium calcium increased [Ca²⁺]_i to level 4–7 times normal. Large increases in [Ca²⁺]_i were observed in most cells and were associated with the development of contracture and bleb formation.Taurine pretreatment (20mM) caused no significant effect on [Ca²⁺]_i during Ca²⁺ depletion. However, it inhibited excessive accumulation of [Ca²⁺]_i during the Ca²⁺ repletion. Moreover, taurine treated cells recovered their Ca²⁺-transients and beating pattern earlier than non-treated cells. Finally morphological abnormalities commonly associated with calcium overload were attenuated by taurine treatment.     

Role of caspases-3 and -7 in Apaf-1 proteolytic cleavage and degradation events during cisplatin-induced apoptosis in melanoma cells

Apoptosis protease-activating factor-1 (Apaf-1), the central element in the mitochondrial pathway of apoptosis, is frequently absent or poorly expressed in metastatic melanomas, a tumor type showing a low degree of spontaneous apoptosis and a poor response to conventional therapies. In the present study, we used the Apaf-1-positive Me665/2/21 melanoma cell line to investigate the fate of Apaf-1 during cisplatin-induced apoptosis. As novel findings described for the first time in melanoma cells, we observed that Apaf-1 was markedly decreased during apoptosis, already at early stages of cell damage; concurrently, an immunoreactive N-terminal fragment of congruent with 26 kDa was evident. In spite of the remarkable decrease of Apaf-1 in apoptotic cells, caspase-9 was found to be processed and enzymatically active. Both Apaf-1 depletion and its proteolytic cleavage were markedly prevented in presence of the caspase-3/-7 inhibitor ac-DEVD-CHO. In presence of ac-DEVD-CHO, caspase-9 activity was also inhibited, along with a partially different pattern of caspase-9 processing forms. Unexpectedly, the inhibition afforded by ac-DEVD-CHO on several components, that is, caspase-3/-7 and caspase-9 activities, and Apaf-1 proteolytic degradation, did not abrogate the apoptotic morphology and cell detachment, nor the proteolytic degradation of crucial targets, such as poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and lamin B. Together, our results suggest that caspase-3 and -7, proved to be dispensable for the above apoptosis-associated events, play a role on Apaf-1 handling and possibly on apoptosome function.     

miR-138 protects cardiomyocytes from hypoxia-induced apoptosis via MLK3/JNK/c-jun pathway

Cardiomyocytes experience a series of complex endogenous regulatory mechanisms against apoptosis induced by chronic hypoxia. MicroRNAs are a class of endogenous small non-coding RNAs that regulate cellular pathophysiological processes. Recently, microRNA-138 (miR-138) has been found related to hypoxia, and beneficial for cell proliferation. Therefore, we intend to study the role of miR-138 in hypoxic cardiomyocytes and the main mechanism. Myocardial samples of patients with congenital heart disease (CHD) were collected to test miR-138 expression. Agomir or antagomir of miR-138 was transfected into H9C2 cells to investigate its effect on cell apoptosis. Higher miR-138 expression was observed in patients with cyanotic CHD, and its expression gradually increased with prolonged hypoxia time in H9C2 cells. Using MTT and LDH assays, cell growth was significantly greater in the agomir group than in the negative control (NC) group, while antagomir decreased cell survival. Dual luciferase reporter gene and Western-blot results confirmed MLK3 was a direct target of miR-138. It was found that miR-138 attenuated hypoxia-induced apoptosis using TUNEL, Hoechst staining and Annexin V-PE/7-AAD flow cytometry analysis. We further detected expression of apoptosis-related proteins. In the agomir group, the level of pro-apoptotic proteins such as cleaved-caspase-3, cleaved-PARP and Bad significantly reduced, while Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax ratio increased. Opposite changes were observed in the antagomir group. Downstream targets of MLK3, JNK and c-jun, were also suppressed by miR-138. Our study demonstrates that up-regulation of miR-138 plays a protective role in myocardial adaptation to chronic hypoxia, which is mediated mainly by MLK3/JNK/c-jun signaling pathway.     

Involvement of caspase-3 activation in squamocin-induced apoptosis in leukemia cell line HL-60

Annonaceous acetogenins have potent antitumor effect in vitro and in vivo. Squamocin is one of the annonaceous acetogenins and has been reported to have antiproliferative effect on cancer cells. Our results from this study showed that squamocin inhibited proliferation of HL-60 cells with IC50 value of 0.17 microg/ml and induced apoptosis of HL-60 cells. Investigation of the mechanism of squamocin-induced apoptosis revealed that treatment of HL-60 cells with squamocin resulted in extensive nuclear condensation. DNA fragmentation, cleavage of the death substrate poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and induction of caspase-3 activity. Pretreatment of HL-60 cells with caspase-3 specific inhibitor DEVD-CHO prevented squamocin-induced DNA fragmentation, PARP cleavage and cell death. The expression levels of protein bcl-2, bax have no change in response to squamocin treatment in HL-60 cells, whereas stress-activated protein kinase (SAPK/JNK) was activated after treatment with squamocin in HL-60 cells. These results suggest that apoptosis of HL-60 cells induced by squamocin requires caspase-3 activation and is related to SAPK activation.     

Spirooxindole-pyrrolidine heterocyclic hybrids promotes apoptosis through activation of caspase-3

A small library of spirooxindole-pyrrolidine hybrids have been synthesized for the first time in an ionic liquid, [bmim]Br in good to excellent yields employing a new class of non-stabilized azomethine ylides derived from isatin and tyrosine, a combination that has been rarely employed for the in situ generation of azomethine ylides using [3+2] cycloaddition strategy. Following the synthesis and characterization of the spirooxindole-pyrrolidine heterocyclic hybrids, they were tested for their anticancer activity as against the changes in the concentrations and time periods with different in vitro cell cultures containing cancer and non-cancer cells, where the results revealed for a potential therapeutic activity. Further analysis for the mechanism of cell death by the cancer cells indicated for the caspase-dependent apoptotic pathway, specifically mediated by caspase-3. Based on these results, it can be demonstrated that the synthesized spirooxindole-pyrrolidine hybrids may serve as one of the better therapeutic agents used for the treatment of malignant tumors.     

Antagonism of endothelin-1 inhibits hypoxia-induced apoptosis in cardiomyocytes

Apoptosis is well documented to be a common feature of many pathological processes of the heart. Exogenous endothelin-1 (ET-1) has been shown to be proapoptotic or antiapoptotic, depending on ET-1 concentration, cell type, and the ratio of ETA/ETB receptor subtypes. The role of endogenous ET-1 in cardiomyocyte apoptosis, however, is not clarified. This study observed the effects of the ETA-receptor antagonists BQ610 and BQ123 and the ETB-receptor antagonist BQ788 on hypoxia-induced apoptosis in primary cultured neonatal rat cardiomyocytes. Hypoxic apoptosis was induced by incubating cardiomyocytes in serum-free medium under 3% O2 and 5% CO2 for 24 h and evaluated by TUNEL analysis and flow cytometry. TUNEL analysis showed that the apoptotic cardiomyocytes constituted 24.2% +/- 2.2% of the total cells under hypoxic conditions. Treatment with BQ610 (5 micromol/L) significantly reduced the apoptosis rate to 13.2% +/- 3.7% (data from 4 independent experiments, p < 0.01 vs. hypoxia). Flow cytometry showed that the percentage of apoptotic cells positively stained with annexin V and propidium iodide was 42.76% +/- 4.44% (n = 12) in cultures subjected to hypoxia. BQ123 at 0.04, 0.2, and 1.0 micromol/L dose-dependently reduced the apoptosis rate to 34.00% +/- 10.35% (n = 6, p < 0.05), 30.38% +/- 8.28% (n = 6, p < 0.01), and 22.89% +/- 4.19% (n = 6, p < 0.01), respectively. In contrast, BQ788 did not affect hypoxic apoptosis. These findings suggested that endogenous ET-1 contributed to hypoxia-induced apoptosis in cultured cardiomyocytes, which was mediated by ETA receptors, but not by ETB receptors.     

MicroRNA-19a attenuates hypoxia-induced cardiomyocyte apoptosis by downregulating NHE-1 expression and decreasing calcium overload

miR-19a has been shown to be involved in coronary microvascular obstruction injury; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms remain unknown. In our study, we tried to explore the role of miR-19a in cardiomyocyte apoptosis and calcium overload in vivo and in vitro induced by hypoxia. We established the acute myocardial infarction (AMI) rat model by ligating the left anterior descending artery. The expression of miR-19a in the infarct zone of AMI rats and myocardial tissue in the same position in sham rats was analyzed using RT-qPCR while Na⁽⁺⁾/H⁽⁺⁾ exchanger 1 (NHE-1) was detected by Western blotting. We also observed the effects of overexpressing miR-19a or administering an NHE-1 inhibitor (cariporide) on hypoxia-induced (HI) calcium overload and apoptosis in primary cardiomyocytes. In addition, dual-luciferase reporter assays were conducted to investigate the potential target of miR-19a on NHE-1. Decreased miR-19a expression, as well as increased apoptosis and NHE-1 expression, were observed in the AMI model. Furthermore, after hypoxia stimulation, miR-19a was gradually reduced as time increased in primary cardiomyocytes. Overexpressing miR-19a using mimics ameliorated the increase in NHE-1 in hypoxic cardiomyocytes and thereby reduced the HI cell calcium overload and cell apoptosis rate from 12.32% to 9.5% (P < .01). In addition, the dual-luciferase reporter gene assay results verified that NHE-1 was the direct target of miR-19a. Our findings suggest that miR-19a activation can attenuate HI cardiomyocyte apoptosis by downregulating NHE-1 expression and decreasing calcium overload.     

H2S preconditioning-induced PKC activation regulates intracellular calcium handling in rat cardiomyocytes

The present study was aimed to investigate the regulatory effect of protein kinase C (PKC) on intracellular Ca(2+) handling in hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S)-preconditioned cardiomyocytes and its consequent effects on ischemia challenge. Immunoblot analysis was used to assess PKC isoform translocation in the rat cardiomyocytes 20 h after NaHS (an H(2)S donor, 10(-4) M) preconditioning (SP, 30 min). Intracellular Ca(2+) was measured with a spectrofluorometric method using fura-2 ratio as an indicator. Cell length was compared before and after ischemia-reperfusion insults to indicate the extent of hypercontracture. SP motivated translocation of PKCalpha, PKCepsilon, and PKCdelta to membrane fraction but only translocation of PKCepsilon and PKCdelta was abolished by an ATP-sensitive potassium channel blocker glibenclamide. It was also found that SP significantly accelerated the decay of both electrically and caffeine-induced intracellular [Ca(2+)] transients, which were reversed by a selective PKC inhibitor chelerythrine. These data suggest that SP facilitated Ca(2+) removal via both accelerating uptake of Ca(2+) into sarcoplasmic reticulum and enhancing Ca(2+) extrusion through Na(+)/Ca(2+) exchanger in a PKC-dependent manner. Furthermore, blockade of PKC also attenuated the protective effects of SP against Ca(2+) overload during ischemia and against myocyte hypercontracture at the onset of reperfusion. We demonstrate for the first time that SP activates PKCalpha, PKCepsilon, and PKCdelta in cardiomyocytes via different signaling mechanisms. Such PKC activation, in turn, protects the heart against ischemia-reperfusion insults at least partly by ameliorating intracellular Ca(2+) handling.     

卵巢癌中Caspase-3 的表达及与化疗耐药相关性研究

目的:检测Caspase-3在卵巢癌中的表达并探讨其与卵巢癌化疗耐药相关性。方法:利用组织芯片技术结合免疫组化方法,对176例卵巢癌、70例良性卵巢肿瘤、50例正常卵巢组织中Caspase-3的表达进行检测,分析其表达与临床病理特征及化疗疗效的相关性。结果:卵巢癌中Caspase-3的表达显著低于正常卵巢及卵巢良性肿瘤,且卵巢癌FIGO临床分期越晚其表达越低(P<0.01),而与肿瘤的组织类型、病理分级及患者的年龄和月经状况无显著相关性(P>0.05)。Caspase-3在卵巢癌化疗耐药组的阳性率显著低于化疗敏感组(P<0.01)。结论:凋亡蛋白酶Caspase-3的缺表达可能参与了卵巢癌的发生发展过程,在卵巢癌化疗耐药的行程中发挥作用;Caspase-3的检测可能对指导卵巢癌临床化疗用药有帮助,可提高化疗效果和减少化疗耐药,并成为预测化疗疗效的有用指标。     

Augmented O-GlcNAc signaling attenuates oxidative stress and calcium overload in cardiomyocytes

O-linked β-N-acetylglucosamine (O-GlcNAc) is an inducible, dynamically cycling and reversible post-translational modification of Ser/Thr residues of nucleocytoplasmic and mitochondrial proteins. We recently discovered that O-GlcNAcylation confers cytoprotection in the heart via attenuating the formation of mitochondrial permeability transition pore (mPTP) and the subsequent loss of mitochondrial membrane potential. Because Ca²⁺ overload and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation are prominent features of post-ischemic injury and favor mPTP formation, we ascertained whether O-GlcNAcylation mitigates mPTP formation via its effects on Ca²⁺ overload and ROS generation. Subjecting neonatal rat cardiac myocytes (NRCMs, n ≥ 6 per group) to hypoxia, or mice (n ≥ 4 per group) to myocardial ischemia reduced O-GlcNAcylation, which later increased during reoxygenation/reperfusion. NRCMs (n ≥ 4 per group) infected with an adenovirus carrying nothing (control), adenoviral O-GlcNAc transferase (adds O-GlcNAc to proteins, AdOGT), adenoviral O-GlcNAcase (removes O-GlcNAc to proteins, AdOGA), vehicle or PUGNAc (blocks OGA; increases O-GlcNAc levels) were subjected to hypoxia–reoxygenation or H₂O₂, and changes in Ca²⁺ levels (via Fluo-4AM and Rhod-2AM), ROS (via DCF) and mPTP formation (via calcein-MitoTracker Red colocalization) were assessed using time-lapse fluorescence microscopy. Both OGT and OGA overexpression did not significantly (P > 0.05) alter baseline Ca²⁺ or ROS levels. However, AdOGT significantly (P < 0.05) attenuated both hypoxia and oxidative stress-induced Ca²⁺ overload and ROS generation. Additionally, OGA inhibition mitigated both H₂O₂-induced Ca²⁺ overload and ROS generation. Although AdOGA exacerbated both hypoxia and H₂O₂-induced ROS generation, it had no effect on H₂O₂-induced Ca²⁺ overload. We conclude that inhibition of Ca²⁺ overload and ROS generation (inducers of mPTP) might be one mechanism through which O-GlcNAcylation reduces ischemia/hypoxia-mediated mPTP formation.