Radiosensitization mechanism of riboflavin in vitro

Riboflavin, suggested to be a radiosensitizer, was studied in murine thymocytes and human hepatoma L02 cell line in vitro with MTT method and fluorescence microscopy. When the murine thymocytes treated with 5–400 μmol/L riboflavin were irradiated by 5 Gy ⁶⁰Co γ ionizing radiation, the low concentration groups, i.e. treated with 5–50 μmol/L riboflavin, showed a different surviving fractions-time relating correlation compared with the high concentration groups, i.e. treated with 100–400 μmol/L riboflavin. The former had a high survival level at the end of irradiation, but which, after 4-h incubation, decreased rapidly to a low level. On the contrary, the high concentration groups showed a low survival level at the end of irradiation, and a poor correlation was found between the surviving fraction and the incubation time, after 4 h a little difference was observed. The results of fluorescence microscopy indicated that under low concentration conditions, the riboflavin localized mainly in nucleus (both perinuclear area and inside of nuclear membrane), while under high concentration conditions, intensive riboflavin also localized around cytoplasmic membranes. Thus we can conclude: the riboflavin had radiosensitivity effect on DNA under low concentration conditions, and enhanced the damage to cytoplasmic membrane under high concentration conditions. Also the most effective concentration of riboflavin can be evaluated to be approximate 100 μmol/L.     

Dietary phytoestrogens and cancer: in vitro and in vivo studies

Thirty postmenopausal women (11 omnivores, 10 vegetarians and 9 apparently healthy women with surgically removed breast cancer) were investigated with regard to the association of their urinary excretion of estrogens, lignans and isoflavonoids (all diphenols) with plasma sex hormone binding globulin (SHBG). A statistically significant positive correlation between urinary total diphenol excretion and plasma SHBG was found which remained statistically significant after elimination of the confounding effect of body mass determined by body mass index (BMI). Furthermore we found a statistically significant negative correlation between plasma SHBG and urinary excretion of 16α-hydroxyestrone and estriol which also remained significant after eliminating the effect of BMI. Furthermore we observed that enterolactone (Enl) stimulates the synthesis of SHBG by HepG2 liver cancer cells in culture acting synergistically with estradiol and at physiological concentrations. Enl was rapidly conjugated by the liver cells, mainly to its monosulfate. Several lignans and the isoflavonoids daidzein and equol were found to compete with estradiol for binding to the rat uterine type II estrogen binding site (the s.c. bioflavonoid receptor). It is suggested that lignans and isoflavonoids may affect uptake and metabolism of sex hormones by participating in the regulation of plasma SHBG levels and in this way influence their biological activity and that they may inhibit cancer cell growth like some flavonoids by competing with estradiol for the type II estrogen binding sites.     

Phagocytosis by carp granulocytes; in vivo and in vitro observations

The phagocytic ability of carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) granulocytes was evaluated in vivo and in vitro. In suspensions of head kidney cells, neutrophil granulocytes incorporated both latex beads and coccidian merozoites. In intestinal tissues from carp with a Goussia carpelli infection, all granulocyte cell types (neutrophils and cells of the basophilic-eosinophilic complex) phagocytosed cell detritus and coccidian developmental stages, mainly merozoites.     

Expression of streptococcal plasmid-determined resistance to erythromycin and lincomycin in Escherichia coli

Summary By using recombinant DNA techniques, we have constructed a chimeric plasmid, pSM7322 (10.8 kb), between the streptococcal erythromycin resistance vector plasmid pSM7 (6.4 kb) and the E. coli vector pBR322 (4.4 kb). As judged by the minimum inhibitory concentrations of erythromycin and lincomycin, pSM7-determined resistance to these antibiotics is expressed in E. coli.     

Influence of in vitro growth conditions on in vitro and ex vitro photosynthetic rates of easy- and difficult-to-acclimatize sea oats (Uniola paniculata L.) genotypes

Net photosynthetic rates (P _n) of easy (EK 16-3) and difficult-to-acclimatize (EK 11-1) sea oats genotypes were examined under the following culture conditions: (1) photoautotrophic [sugar-free medium, high photosynthetic photon flux (PPF), high vessel ventilation rates and CO₂ enrichment, (PA)]; (2) modified photomixotrophic [sugar-containing medium diluted with sugar-free medium over time, high PPF, and high vessel ventilation rates (PM)]; (3) modified photomixotrophic enriched [same as PM with CO₂ enrichment, (PME)]; or (4) conventional photomixotrophic [sugar-containing medium, low PPF, and low vessel ventilation rates (control)]. Regardless of genotype, plantlets cultured under PA conditions died within 2 wk, whereas under PM and PME conditions, plantlets increased their P _n. After 6 wk, P _n per gram dry weight was 1.7 times greater in EK 16-3 than EK 11-1 plantlets cultured under PME conditions. In vitro-produced leaves of EK 16-3 plantlets were elongated with expanded blades, whereas EK 11-1 produced short leaves without expanded blades, especially under control conditions. After in vitro culture, EK 16-3 PME plantlets exhibited the highest dry weights among treatments. EK 16-3 PME and EK 16-3 PM had similarly high survivability, shoot and root dry weights and leaf lengths ex vitro compared to EK 16-3 control and EK 11-1 PM and PME plantlets. Ex vitro growth, survivability and P _n per leaf area of either genotype were not affected by CO₂ enrichment under modified photomixotrophic conditions. These results suggest that growth and survivability of sea oats genotypes with different acclimatization capacities can be enhanced by optimizing culture conditions.     

Cartilage induction in vitro : Ultrastructural studies

When 19-day fetal rat triceps muscle was cultured for 7 to 14 days upon decalcified, sequentially extracted adult rat bone, cartilage formed within clefts and vascular spaces of the decalcified bone. The bone substrata were prepared by extracting tibias and femurs of Sprague-Dawley rats with 1:1 chloroform:methanol, 0.6 N HCl, 2 M CaCl₂, 0.6 M EDTA, 8 M LiCl, and H₂O at 56°C. The culture medium used was CMRL 1066 with 15% newborn calf serum. During cultivation, fibroblastic mesenchymal cells migrated out of muscle and into bone crevices where they secreted a cartilaginous matrix composed of thin, randomly dispersed collagen fibrils and proteoglycan granules. The latter are characteristic for cartilage matrix. Extracted bone matrix contained mature collagen fibrils, some of which retained their typical 640-Å banding. Other collagen fibrils were partially disaggregated and expanded to reveal component 50-Å-thick, beaded micro fibrils. Such an expansion of collagen fibrils is known to result from exposure to proteoglycan solvents such as 2 M CaCl₂. The decalcified bone matrix contained many residual devitalized cells and cell fragments which often were seen in close proximity to chondrifying mesenchymal cells. This finding indicates the possibility that residual cellular material could play a role in stimulating cartilage development.     

A mechanism for heterogeneous endothelial responses to flow in vivo and in vitro

Exposure of endothelium to a nominally uniform flow field in vivo and in vitrofrequently results in a heterogeneous distribution of individual cell responses. Extremes in response levels are often noted in neighboring cells. Such variations are important for the spatial interpretation of vascular responses to flow and for an understanding of mechanotransduction mechanisms at the level of single cells. We propose that variations of local forces defined by the cell surface geometry contribute to these differences. Atomic force microscopy measurements of cell surface topography in living endothelium both in vitro and in situ combined with computational fluid dynamics demonstrated large cell-to-cell variations in the distribution of flow-generated shear stresses at the endothelial luminal surface. The distribution of forces throughout the surface of individual cells of the monolayer was also found to vary considerably and to be defined by the surface geometry. We conclude that the endothelial three-dimensional surface geometry defines the detailed distribution of shear stresses and gradients at the single cell level, and that there are large variations in force magnitude and distribution between neighboring cells. The measurements support a topographic basis for differential endothelial responses to flow observed in vivo and in vitro. Included in these studies are the first preliminary measurements of the living endothelial cell surface in an intact artery.     

An efficient in vitro regeneration system for Lythrum salicaria

This report describes an efficient plant regeneration system for the medicinal plant Lythrum salicaria via direct adventitious shoot development from leaf and stem explants. Leaf explants were much more responsive to regeneration than stem segments. Of the hormonal combinations tested, those involving thidiazuron (TDZ; 0.1, 0.3 or 0.5 mg dm⁻³) were more effective than the combinations of other hormones and 0.1 mg dm-3 TDZ combined with either indole-3-acetic acid (IAA) or indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) was the most productive. Rooting was readily achieved when multiple shoots were singled out and cultured on medium containing different auxins. IAA was the most effective on root development in terms of both the number of roots per shoot and the frequency of rooted shoots. More than 90 % of the regenerants survived after hardening for four weeks at gradually decreased air humidity.     

Activity identification of chimeric anti-caspase-3 mRNA hammerhead ribozyme in vitro and in vivo

To study the expression activity of various vectors containing anti-caspase-3 ribozyme cassettesin vivo, and to further study the role of caspas-3 in the apoptotic pathway, we constructed anti-caspase-3 hammerhead ribozyme embedded into the human snRNA U6, and detected the activity of the ribozymein vitro andin vivo. Meanwhile we compared it with the self-cleaving hammerhead ribozymes that we previously studied, and with the general ribozyme, cloned into RNA polymerase II expression systems. The results showed that the three ribozymes, p1.5RZ107, pRZ107 and pU6RZ107 had the correct structure, and that they could cleave caspase-3 mRNA exactly to produce two fragments: 143nt/553nt. p1.5RZ107 has the highest cleavage efficiencyin vitro, almost 80%. However, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, pU6RZ107, has the highest cleavage activityin vivo, almost to 65%, though it has lower cleavage activityin vitro. The cleavage results demonstrated that the pU6RZ107, the U6 chimeric ribozyme, could more efficiently express and downregulate the level of caspase-3in vivo, and the ribozyme could provide an alternative approach to the research into the mechanism of apoptosis and human gene therapy also.     

Bleb formation in granulosa cells of rat pre-ovulatory follicles in vivo and in vitro

To determine if hormone-induced events leading to ovulation an granulosa cell luteinization might be associated with changes in the surface configuration of granulosa cells we have studied the morphology of granulosa cells from the preovulatory follicles both in vivo and in vitro. In vivo, granulosa cells in follicles from rats primed with estradiol and FSH developed bulbous protrusions termed blebs in response to injected hCG. The blebs were restricted to the adluminal granulosa cells which possess the least number of receptors for hCG. When granulosa cells from follicles of rats primed with estradiol and FSH were cultured in vitro, in the absence of serum, approximately 10% of the cells formed blebs. In the presence of 10% rat or fetal calf serum, nearly 90% of the cells formed blebs by 18 hr. Serum-induced bleb formation was prevented by 1 mM dibutyryl cycle-AMP plus 0.5 mM methyl isobutyl xanthine and by cytochalasin B (25 mug/ml), while 0.1 muM colchicine had no effect. Fibronectin at 25 mug/ml increased bleb formation three-fold over control values in serum-free medium. When hCG was included in serum containing medium, the majority of the cells remained smooth without any blebs. Thus, in contrast to its action in vivo, hCG inhibited the formation of blebs in vitro. When the cells incubated in the presence of dbcAMP plus methyl isobutyl xanthine in serum-containing medium, none of the cells formed blebs. One explanation for the seemingly opposite actions of hCG in vivo and in vitro is that hCG might act to alter the permeability of the pre-ovulatory follicles, and thereby allow the admission of serum. The admitted serum component(s) could then induce the formation of blebs on receptor-deficient adluminal cells that did not have elevated cAMP concentrations. The results suggest that fibronectin and/or other serum components, act to induce microfilament-dependent, cAMP-inhibited bleb formation on granulosa cells in vivo and in vitro.     

Suppressive effects of swainsonine on C6 glioma cell in vitro and in vivo

Swainsonine, an extract from Astragalus membranaceus, is known for its anti-cancer effects and could prevent metastases. In order to investigate the effects and mechanisms of swainsonine in C6 glioma cells, we carry out correlated experiments in vitro and in vivo. After treatment with swainsonine, the effective dose and IC₅₀ value of swainsonine in the C6 glioma cell were examined using the MTT assay. Cell cycle distribution and apoptotic rates were analyzed using FCM and [Ca²⁺]_i was measured by LSCM. Expressions of p16 and p53 protein were evaluated by immunocytochemical methods. Simultaneously, glioma-bearing rats were administered swainsonine at doses of 2, 4 and 8 mg/kg body wt. The inhibition rate was calculated and pathological sections were observed. The results indicated that the growth of C6 glioma cells is inhibited by swainsonine in vitro, with an IC₅₀ value within 24 h of 0.05 μg/ml. Increases in swainsonine correlate with S phase percentages of 11.3%, 11.6% and 12.4%, respectively. Moreover, the expression of apoptosis inhibiting p53 and p16 protein decreases gradually. Tumor weight in vivo decreased clearly and HE dyeing of tumor tissue showed gray, its texture was soft, with necrosis and hemorrhagic concentrated inward. Swainsonine could inhibit the proliferation of C6 glioma cells in vitro and the growth of C6 glioma in vivo. The mechanisms of swainsonine-induced apoptosis may relate with the expression of apoptosis-related genes and overloading-[Ca²⁺]_i-induced endoplasmic reticulum stress.     

Tailoring of alginates by enzymatic modification in vitro

High molecular weight alginates having a variety of initial composition and sequential structures were modified with a mannuronan-C-5 epimerase from Azotobacter vinelandii to yield polymers with a high content of guluronic acid and, hence, an enhanced ability to form gels with calcium ions. The monad, diad and triad frequencies in the modified polymers were determined by n.m.r. spectroscopy, and the strength of homogeneous gels prepared from them with calcium ions were measured and compared with those prepared from the starting materials and other naturally occurring alginates. Immobilization of the bacterial enzyme on Eupergite beads greatly increased its stability and favoured high degree of conversion.