Rat synapsin 1 promoter mediated transgene expression in testicular cell types

Previous reports described the rat synapsin 1 promoter as primarily neuron selective. However, ectopic expression of a transgene under the rat synapsin 1 promoter was also detected in testis from some transgenic mouse lines. Here we investigate which cells within the testis express a transgene consisting of the rat synapsin 1 promoter fused with luciferase. Synapsin 1-luciferase expression vectors were introduced into HeLa cells, into TM3 cells derived from mouse testicular Leydig cells, and into one-cell embryos to make transgenic mice. Indirect immunofluorescence suggests that nontransfected TM3 cells do not express endogenous synapsin 1. TM3 stable transfectants, however, expressed luciferase under the direction of the synapsin 1 promoter, in both promoter orientations. HeLa cells displayed only low levels of activity. Transgenic mice carrying the synapsin 1-luciferase construct displayed high levels of luciferase activity in the brain, spinal cord, and testis. Enriched populations of prepuberal types A and B spermatogonia and adult Leydig cells, pachytene spermatocytes, and round spermatids prepared from transgenic mice all displayed substantial luciferase activity. Thus, the rat synapsin 1 promoter can mediate reporter gene expression in neurons and testicular cell types.     

Glutamate accelerates RPE cell proliferation through ERK1/2 activation via distinct receptor-specific mechanisms

The proliferation and migration of Retinal Pigment Epithelium cells resulting from an epithelial-mesenchymal transition plays a key role in proliferative vitreoretinopathy, which leads to retinal detachment and the loss of vision. In neurons, glutamate has been shown to activate the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK cascade, which participates in the regulation of proliferation, differentiation, and survival processes. Although glutamate-stimulation and the activation of ERK1/2 by different stimuli have been shown to promote RPE cell proliferation, the signaling pathway(s) linking these effects has not been established. We analyzed the molecular mechanisms leading to glutamate-induced proliferation by determining ERK1/2 and CREB phoshporylation in chick RPE cells in primary culture and the human-derived RPE cell line ARPE-19. This study shows for the first time, that glutamate promotes RPE cell proliferation by activating two distinct signaling pathways linked to selective glutamate receptor subtypes. Results demonstrate that glutamate stimulates RPE cell proliferation as well as ERK and CREB phosphorylation. These effects were mimicked by the mGluR agonist ACPD and by NMDA, and were prevented by the respective receptor inhibitors MCPG and MK-801, indicating a cause-effect relationship between these processes. Whereas mGluR promoted proliferation by activating the MEK/ERK/CREB cascade, NMDA stimulated proliferation through the MEK-independent activation of Ca(2+)/calmodulin-dependent kinases. The blockage of both signaling pathways to proliferation by KN-62 suggests the involvement of CaMKs in the control of glutamate-induced proliferation at a common step, downstream of CREB, possibly the regulation of cell cycle progression. Based on these findings, the participation of glutamate in the development of PVR can be considered.     

Aromatase expression and cell proliferation following injury of the adult zebra finch hippocampus

Estrogens can be neuroprotective following traumatic brain injury. Immediately after trauma to the zebra finch hippocampus, the estrogen-synthetic enzyme aromatase is rapidly upregulated in astrocytes and radial glia around the lesion site. Brain injury also induces high levels of cell proliferation. Estrogens promote neuronal differentiation, migration, and survival naturally in the avian brain. We suspect that glia are a source of estrogens promoting cell proliferation after neural injury. To explore this hypothesis, we examined the spatial and temporal relationship between glial aromatase expression and cell proliferation after neural injury in adult female zebra finches. Birds were ovariectomized and given a blank implant or one filled with estradiol; some birds were also administered an aromatase inhibitor or vehicle. All birds received penetrating injuries to the right hippocampus. Twenty-four hours after lesioning, birds were injected once with BrdU to label mitotically active cells and euthanized 2 h, 24 h, or 7 days later. The brains were processed for double-label BrdU and aromatase immunocytochemistry. Injury-induced glial aromatase expression was unaffected by survival time and aromatase inhibition. BrdU labeling was significantly reduced at 24 h by ovariectomy and by aromatase inhibition; effects were partially reversed by E2 replacement. Irrespective of ovariectomy, the densities of aromatase immunoreactive astrocytes and BrdU-labeled cells at known distances from the lesion site were highly correlated. These data suggest that injury-induced glial aromatization may influence the reorganization of injured tissue by providing a rich estrogenic environment available to influence cellular incorporation.     

MiR-517a-3p accelerates lung cancer cell proliferation and invasion through inhibiting FOXJ3 expression

Aims

Aberrant expression of microRNAs (miRNAs) results in alterations of various biological processes (e.g., cell cycle, cell differentiation, and apoptosis) and cell transformation. Altered miRNAs expression was associated with lung carcinogenesis and tumor progression. This study aimed to investigate the function and underlying molecular events of miR-517a-3p on regulation of lung cancer cell proliferation and invasion.

Main methods

Transfected miR-517a-3p mimics or inhibitors into 95D and 95C cells respectively, the effects of miR-517a-3p on lung cancer cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were detected. Bioinformatics software forecasted potential target genes of miR-517a-3p and dual luciferase reporter gene system and western blot verified whether miR-517a-3p regulates FOXJ3 expression directly.

Key findings

MiR-517a-3p was differentially expressed in lung cancer 95D and 95C cell lines that have different metastatic potential. Manipulation of miR-517a-3p expression changed lung cancer cell proliferation, migration and invasion capacity. MiR-517a-3p directly regulated FOXJ3 expression by binding to FOXJ3 promoter.

Significance

This study demonstrated that miR-517a-3p promoted lung cancer cell proliferation and invasion by targeting of FOXJ3 expression.     

脂多糖致急性肺血管内皮屏障功能失调小鼠FLI-1蛋白表达的变化及其意义

目的: 观察感染性急性肺损伤(ALI)肺血管内皮屏障功能失调小鼠肺组织中弗里德白血病病毒插入位点1(FLI-1)蛋白表达的变化,以探讨FLI-1在感染性ALI肺血管内皮屏障功能失调发生发展中的意义。方法: SPF级雄性ICR小鼠60只,腹腔注射脂多糖(LPS,7.5 mg/kg)复制ALI模型,在给予LPS 0 h、12 h、24 h、48 h后,检测小鼠肺血管内皮屏障通透性和肺湿干重比,ELISA法检测肺泡灌洗液中TNF-α和IL-6含量,Western blot法检测肺组织FLI-1和Src酪氨酸激酶(SRC)蛋白的表达。结果: 与0 h组比较,12 h组、24 h组肺血管内皮屏障通透性分别升高74.3%和162.4%,而48 h组较24 h组降低27.0%(P均＜0.05);与0 h组比较,12 h组、24 h组肺湿干重比分别升高50.1%和122.9%,而48 h组较24 h组降低10.7%(P均＜0.05);与0 h组比较,12 h、24 h肺泡灌洗液IL-6和TNF-α含量均显著升高,而48 h肺泡灌洗液IL-6和TNF-α含量较24 h分别下降28.3%和21.6%(P均＜ 0.05);与0 h组比较,12 h组、24 h组肺组织FLI-1蛋白表达水平分别下调20.4%和56.9%,而48 h组较24 h组上调18.2%(P均＜0.05);与0 h组比较,12 h组、24 h组肺组织SRC蛋白表达水平分别上调76.8%和176.7%,而48 h组较24 h组下调33.4%(P均＜0.05);肺血管内皮屏障通透性与FLI-1蛋白表达水平呈显著负相关(r= -0.8992,P＜0.01),而与SRC蛋白表达水平呈显著正相关(r=0.8918,P＜0.01),肺组织FLI-1与SRC蛋白表达呈显著负相关(r=-0.8087,P=0.0014)。结论: FLI-1可能参与LPS诱导的急性肺损伤肺血管内皮屏障功能失常过程。     

Epidermal growth factor accelerates recovery of LLC-PK1 cells following oxidant injury

Summary In renal tubular epithelial cells, oxidant injury results in several metabolic alterations including ATP depletion, decreased Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity, and altered intracellular sodium and potassium content. To investigate the recovery of LLC-PK1 cells following oxidant injury and to determine if recovery can be accelerated, we induced oxidant stress in LLC-PK1 cells with 500 μM hydrogen peroxide for 60 min. Identical cohorts of oxidant-stressed cells were incubated in recovery medium without epidermal growth factor (EGF) or recovery medium containing 25 ng EGF per ml. ATP levels, Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity in whole cells, Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity in disrupted cells, and intracellular sodium and potassium ion content were determined at 0, 5, 24, 48, and 72 h following oxidant injury in each cohort of cells. In oxidant-stressed cells recovering in medium without EGF, ATP levels, Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity, and intracellular ion content improved but continued to remain substantially lower than control values at all time points following oxidant stress. In cells recovering in medium with EGF, ATP levels, Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity, and the intracellular potassium-to-sodium ratio were significantly higher at nearly all time points than values in cells recovering in medium alone. In cells recovering with added EGF, Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity had improved to control levels, whereas ATP levels and intracellular ion content approached control values by 72 h following oxidant stress. We conclude that oxidant-mediated ATP depletion, altered Na⁺K⁺ ATPase activity, and intracellular ion content remain depressed for several d following oxidant stress and that EGF accelerated recovery of LLC-PK1 cells from oxidant injury.     

Identification of transfected cell types following non-viral gene transfer to the murine lung

BACKGROUND: Identification of the cell types transfected following gene transfer is an important factor in the selection of appropriate gene transfer agents (GTAs). Due to the relatively low gene expression mediated by non-viral GTAs, current methodologies for the detection and identification of transfected cells in the lung have proven insensitive and unreliable. We have investigated the use of the green fluorescent protein (GFP) to identify transfected cells in a mouse lung model. METHODS: Direct visualisation of GFP fluorescence in frozen histological sections was used in conjunction with a panel of cell type specific antibodies to investigate the distribution and level of gene expression in mouse lungs following instillation of non-viral GTAs. RESULTS: Despite considerable tissue autofluorescence, dose-dependent expression of GFP was detected following instillation of as little as 25 microg naked plasmid DNA (pDNA). Naked pDNA and pDNA complexed with polyethylenimine appeared to transfect mainly ciliated cells and Clara cells of the conducting airway, whereas expression mediated by pDNA complexed with the cationic lipid GL67 was found predominantly in type I pneumocytes. CONCLUSIONS: Direct visualisation of GFP expression was used to detect transfected cell types in the mouse lung. In contrast with observations made using beta-galactosidase as a reporter, gene expression from several non-viral GTAs was readily demonstrated and no false GFP-positive cells were ever detected in untreated lung tissues. Lung delivery of different GTAs resulted in GFP expression in different cell types, confirming the importance of identification of transfected cells when screening and selecting GTAs for disease targets.