Telomerase: A Target for Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin and a Curcumin Derivative in Aβ1-42 Insult In Vitro

This study was designed to investigate whether telomerase was involved in the neuroprotective effect of curcumin and Cur1. Alzheimer''s disease is a consequence of an imbalance between the generation and clearance of amyloid-beta peptide in the brain. In this study, we used Aβ1-42 (10 µg/ml) to establish a damaged cell model, and curcumin and Cur1 were used in treatment groups. We measured cell survival and cell growth, intracellular oxidative stress and hTERT expression. After RNA interference, the effects of curcumin and Cur1 on cells were verified. Exposure to Aβ1–42 resulted in significant oxidative stress and cell toxicity, and the expression of hTERT was significantly decreased. Curcumin and Cur1 both protected SK-N-SH cells from Aβ1–42 and up-regulated the expression of hTERT. Furthermore, Cur1 demonstrated stronger protective effects than curcumin. However, when telomerase was inhibited by TERT siRNA, the neuroprotection by curcumin and Cur1 were ceased. Our study indicated that the neuroprotective effects of curcumin and Cur1 depend on telomerase, and thus telomerase may be a target for therapeutic effects of curcumin and Cur1.     

Association between Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) and Toxicity of Advanced Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Patients Treated with Chemotherapy

New therapeutic approaches are being developed based on the findings that several genetic abnormalities underlying non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) could influence chemosensitivity. In this study, we assessed whether polymorphisms in genes of nucleotide excision repair (NER) pathway, including ERCC5, ERCC6, MMS19L, CCNH, XPC, RRM1, can affect the tolerability of platinum-based chemotherapy in NSCLC patients. We used AllGloTM probe to assess genotyping and polymorphisms in 388 stage IIIB and IV NSCLC patients treated with platinum-based chemotherapy. MMS19L might be associated with the adverse events of chemotherapy in NSCLC, especially for all grade leucopenia (P = 0.020), all grade jaundice (P = 0.037) and all grade creatinine increasing (P = 0.013). In terms of grade 3/4 adverse events, MMS19L was related with total grade 3/4 adverse events (P = 0.024) and grade 3/4 thrombocytopenia (P = 0.035), while RRM1 was related with total grade 3/4 adverse events (P = 0.047) and grade 3/4 vomiting (P = 0.046). ERCC5 was related with more infection (P = 0.017). We found that some SNPs in NER pathway genes were correlated with toxicity treated with double chemotherapy in advanced NSCLC patients, especially for SNPs of MMS19L, RRM1 and ERCC5.     

安徽沿江城郊蔬菜地土壤动物群落生态学研究

对沿江蔬菜地土壤动物群落的研究表明 ,1 82 2 2个标本分隶于 6门 1 4纲 2 9目72科 ,其中以弹尾目、螨目和线虫纲动物数量最多 .同种青菜地土壤动物群落组成丰富性( S)、多样性、均匀性指数值以 7月最大 ,1 2月最小 ;个体数、密度和优势性值以 1月最大 .在不同品种菜菜地 ,8月以青菜和韭菜 S值最大 ,豇豆、毛豆次之 ,萝卜最小 .但随着不同品种生长周期的变化 ,土壤动物群落结构也发生变化 .肥力高的黑砂土 ,土壤动物群落各项指标高于沙洲菜地     

尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活物受体研究进展

尿激酶型纤溶酶原激活物受体作为胞外纤溶酶系统的一员,以糖基磷脂酰肌醇锚的形式固定于细胞膜上,它参与了胞外纤溶酶活性的调节,具有内化受抑制的尿激酶的功能;同时参与了胞外信号的传递;另外它对癌症的临床预后及抗癌转移的研究有重要的意义．     

NAP1 family histone chaperones are required for somatic homologous recombination in Arabidopsis

Homologous recombination (HR) is essential for maintaining genome integrity and variability. To orchestrate HR in the context of chromatin is a challenge, both in terms of DNA accessibility and restoration of chromatin organization after DNA repair. Histone chaperones function in nucleosome assembly/disassembly and could play a role in HR. Here, we show that the NUCLEOSOME ASSEMBLY PROTEIN1 (NAP1) family histone chaperones are required for somatic HR in Arabidopsis thaliana. Depletion of either the NAP1 group or NAP1-RELATED PROTEIN (NRP) group proteins caused a reduction in HR in plants under normal growth conditions as well as under a wide range of genotoxic or abiotic stresses. This contrasts with the hyperrecombinogenic phenotype caused by the depletion of the CHROMATIN ASSEMBLY FACTOR-1 (CAF-1) histone chaperone. Furthermore, we show that the hyperrecombinogenic phenotype caused by CAF-1 depletion relies on NRP1 and NRP2, but the telomere shortening phenotype does not. Our analysis of DNA lesions, H3K56 acetylation, and expression of DNA repair genes argues for a role of NAP1 family histone chaperones in nucleosome disassembly/reassembly during HR. Our study highlights distinct functions for different families of histone chaperones in the maintenance of genome stability and establishes a crucial function for NAP1 family histone chaperones in somatic HR.