Factors affecting the efficiency of somatic cell nuclear transplantation in the fish embryo

Procedures to improve somatic cell nuclear transplantation in fish were evaluated. We reported effects of nonirradiated recipient eggs, inactivated recipient eggs, different combinations between recipient eggs and donor cells, duration of serum starvation, generation number, and passage number of donor cells on developmental rates of nuclear transplant (NT) embryos. Exposure to 25,000 R of gamma-rays inactivated recipient eggs. Single nucleus of cultured, synchronized somatic cell from gynogenetic bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) was transplanted into nonirradiated or genetically inactivated unfertilized egg of gibel carp (Carassius auratus gibelio). There was no significant difference in developmental rate between nonirradiated and inactivated recipient eggs (27.27% vs. 25.71%, respectively). Chromosome count showed that 70.59% of NT embryos contained 48 chromosomes. It showed that most NT embryos came from donor nuclei of bighead carp, which was supported by microsatellite analysis of NT embryos. But 23.53% of NT embryos contained more than 48 chromosomes. It was presumed that those superfluous chromosomes came from nonirradiated recipient eggs. Besides, 5.88% of NT embryos were chimeras. Eggs of blunt-snout bream (Megalobrama amblycephala) and gibel carp were better recipient eggs than those of loach (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus) (25% and 18.03% vs. 8.43%). Among different duration of serum starvation, developmental rate of NT embryos from somatic nuclei of three-day serum starvation was the highest, reaching 25.71% compared to 14.14% (control), 20% (five-day), and 21.95% (seven-day). Cultured donor cells of less passage facilitated reprogramming of NT embryos than those of more passage. Recloning might improve the developmental rate of NT embryos from the differentiated donor nuclei. Developmental rate of fourth generation was the highest (54.83%) and the lowest for first generation (14.14%) compared to second generation (38.96%) and third generation (53.01%).     

Anti-Diabetic Effects and Molecular Mechanisms of Amide Alkaloids from Piper longum Based on Network Pharmacology Integrated with Cellular Assays

Piper longum is a well-known spice and traditional medicine. It was revealed to possess anti-diabetic activity, but few information about its active component and underlying mechanism could be available. In this study, retrofractamides A ( 1 ) and C ( 2 ) isolated from P. longum showed potent inhibitory activity against PTP1B. Therefore, the potential mechanism was predicted by network pharmacology and molecular docking. PI3K/AKT was obtained as the most remarkable pathway against type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and AKT1 and GSK3β were yielded as the top two core targets of retrofractamides A ( 1 ) and C ( 2 ). Molecular docking of compounds with AKT1 and GSK3β showed strong binding affinity between them. Additionally, cellular experiments with a L6 cell model was conducted to further verify the above predictions. Results indicated that retrofractamides A ( 1 ) and C ( 2 ) exerted anti-diabetic effect via activating PI3K/AKT pathway, and they promoted glucose consumption, glucose uptake, glycogen synthesis and glycolysis.     

Mathematical modeling of intracellular calcium in presence of receptor: a homeostatic model for endothelial cell

Biomechanics and Modeling in Mechanobiology - Calcium is a ubiquitous molecule and second messenger that regulates many cellular functions ranging from exocytosis to cell proliferation at different...     

EGF-induced nuclear translocation of SHCBP1 promotes bladder cancer progression through inhibiting RACGAP1-mediated RAC1 inactivation

Bladder cancer is a highly heterogeneous and aggressive malignancy with a poor prognosis. EGF/EGFR activation causes the detachment of SHC-binding protein 1 (SHCBP1) from SHC adapter protein 1 (SHC1), which subsequently translocates into the nucleus and promotes cancer development via multiple signaling pathways. However, the role of the EGF-SHCBP1 axis in bladder cancer progression remains unexplored. Herein, we report that SHCBP1 is upregulated in bladder cancer tissues and cells, with cytoplasmic or nuclear localization. Released SHCBP1 responds to EGF stimulation by translocating into the nucleus following Ser273 phosphorylation. Depletion of SHCBP1 reduces EGF-induced cell migration and invasiveness of bladder cancer cells. Mechanistically, SHCBP1 binds to RACGAP1 via its N-terminal domain of amino acids 1 ~ 428, and this interaction is enhanced following EGF treatment. Furthermore, SHCBP1 facilitates cell migration by inhibiting RACGAP-mediated GTP-RAC1 inactivation, whose activity is indispensable for cell movement. Collectively, we demonstrate that the EGF-SHCBP1-RACGAP1-RAC1 axis acts as a novel regulatory mechanism of bladder cancer progression, which offers a new clinical therapeutic strategy to combat bladder cancer.Subject terms: Bladder cancer, RHO signalling     

The hybrid enzymes from alpha-aspartyl dipeptidase and L-aspartase

With combinative functionalities as well as the improved activity and stability, the novel hybrid enzymes (HEs) from the heterogeneous enzymes of alpha-aspartyl dipeptidase (PepE, monomer) and l-aspartase (l-AspA, tetramer) were constructed successfully by gene random deletion strategy. The wild-type hybrid enzyme (WHE) and the evolved hybrid enzyme (EHE) were selected, respectively, upon the phenotype and the enzyme activity. The relative activity of the WHE tested was about 110% of the wild-type PepE and 26% of the wild-type l-AspA, whilst the activity of EHE was about 340% of the PepE and 87% of the l-AspA. In comparison to its individual wild-type enzymes, the EHE exhibited an improved thermostability, when examined at the enzyme concentration of 10(-7)mol/L, but the WHE showed a reduced thermostability. The activity of the EHE was about 3-fold compared to that of the WHE. The current results give a good example that the hybridization of enzymes could be attained between the monomer and multimer enzymes. In addition, they also indicate that construction hybrid enzyme from evolved enzymes is feasible.     

乌鲁木齐河源区高寒冰缘植被的生态特征研究

对乌鲁木齐河源区高寒冰缘植被进行了调查和生态环境分析。研究了高寒冰缘植物对寒区环境在形态结构和繁殖方式等方面的适应特征及其生态对策,在该区域垂直带谱中,植被包括了两个垂直带;高山草甸和高山垫状植被。主要植物群系有：苔草群系、蒿草群系、早熟禾群系、四蕊山莓草系、高山红景天群系、族生柔籽草群系、珠芽蓼群系等７个,共包括２７类植物群（群丛）此外,在高山流石堆上具有有牌演替早期阶段的高山植物群聚。决定该区     

Inverted U-Shaped Relationship between Central Venous Pressure and Intra-Abdominal Pressure in the Early Phase of Severe Acute Pancreatitis: A Retrospective Study

Objective

Many studies have indicated that intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) is positively correlated with central venous pressure (CVP) in severe cases. However, although elevated IAP is common in patients with severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), its relationship with CVP remains unclear. Our study aimed to investigate the association of IAP with CVP in early-phase SAP patients.

Methods

In total, 116 SAP patients were included in this retrospective study. On the first day of hospitalization, blood samples were collected for biochemical examination and cytokine concentration monitoring. Additionally, a urinary catheter and right subclavian vein catheter were inserted for IAP and CVP measurement, respectively. Other routine clinical data were also recorded.

Results

Within 24 hours after hospitalization, CVP fluctuated and increased with increasing IAP up to 15.7 mmHg (P = 0.054) but decreased with increasing IAP when the IAP was > 15.7 mmHg (P < 0.001). After adjusting for abdominal perfusion pressure (APP) and mean arterial pressure (MAP), a similar distribution was observed. An inverted U-shaped trend between IAP and CVP was also present in the groups classified according to the patient’s sex, local complications, ascites, and serum amylase levels.

Conclusions

CVP and IAP have an inverted U-shaped relationship, with a peak at an IAP of 15.7 mmHg in the early phase of SAP. After this peak, CVP decreases as IAP increases. These results have crucial implications for clinical fluid resuscitation in SAP patients. In particular, because one CVP value might be correlated with different IAP values in patients with the same CVP, the volume of fluid needed might be different.     

Novel Oxaliplatin Derivatives with 1‐(Substituted Benzyl)azetidine‐3,3‐dicarboxylate Anions. Synthesis,Cytotoxicity, and Interaction with DNA

A series of oxaliplatin derivatives with (1R,2R)‐N¹‐alkyl‐1,2‐cyclohexane‐1,2‐diamine (alkyl=Bu or ⁱPr) as carrier ligands and 1‐(methoxy‐ or methyl‐substituted benzyl)azetidine‐3,3‐dicarboxylate anions as leaving groups were synthesized and spectrally characterized. Generally, Complexes 10 – 15 with an ⁱPr substituent at N(1) showed higher activities in vitro than carboplatin against MCF‐7 human breast carcinoma and A549 human non‐small‐cell lung cell lines, although they were less potent than oxaliplatin. The typical complex 14 exhibited cytotoxicity superior to that of carboplatin and comparable to that of oxaliplatin against two selected tumor cell lines. Additionally, agarose gel electrophoresis was applied to investigate the DNA‐cleavage ability of complex 14 , which demonstrated that it has a different mode of DNA distortion from that of oxaliplatin.